GREATEST GOLFER

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 99, 18 July 1927, Page 1

GREATEST GOLFER

JONES’S TERRIFIC PACE WINNER OF THE ‘ OPEN’' ENGLISHMEN S VAIN CHASE By Cable. — Press Association. Copyright LONDON, Friday. There was a crowd of 15,000 spectators on the Old course at St. Andrews to see ore American amateur play four rounds of flawless golf, while the cream of the British professional and amateur players endeavoured to keep up with the terrific pace which Bobby Jones set. The presence of last year’s American winner at St. Andrews made the championship an international event of much importance. The fact that he was playing drew many thousands of spectators, otherwise would not have been there. It was a most sporting act on the part of the great amateur to cross the Atlantic after a winter’s work as a student, in order to give to British golfers a chance to recapture the championship from him in person. JONES HIGHLY POPULAR There was no more popular man at St. Andrews last week than Bobby Jones. At the same time, practically all the onlookers hoped that Boomer, of France, or Whitcombe or Robson, or possibly the youth Hodson, might catch up and possibly tie with Jones. With that hope the crowds eagerly followed the play day after day. With a great 68 in his first round, Jones made a flying start which outdistanced all his pursuers. Boomer, Robson and the Whitcombe brothers, his most formidable challengers, were from six to eight strokes worse than that. Two of them. Boomer and Robson, finished only six strokes behind Jones, with scores equal to the previous record. The champion won with his first round when he got in the first blow, and the others never made up the leeway. The championship was a chase. Nevertheless, with two rounds played, an unknown youngster named Hodson was 142, while Jones was 140, and Kirkwood was 144. Robson, Boomer and E. R. Whitcombe were also near. Robson did a great 69 in his third round, which reduced the American’s lead by four strokes in 18 holes. A GREAT STAYER

The position at the close of the third round was that Jones, with 213, led Robson, Boomer and Kirkwood by a few strokes. There was still a chance for the British players to overhaul the American, if only he would weaken a little. Jones is a stayer, however. In last year’s British open championship he started two strokes behind the leader in the last round, but he overtook him and passed him. In the American open championship he was four strokes behind Turnesa with nine holes to play, but Jones overtook and passed him. So it was with the chase at St. Andrews. Jones never weakened. His last round was a great one of 72, one better than par. The winner’s aggregate of 285 is 11 strokes less than the aggregate score in which Jock Hutchison won at St. Andrews in 1921, when he tied with R. H. Wethered in the four rounds. Boomer, Robson and Whitcombe did extremely well to keep so close to the peerless Jones. Their aggregates of 291, 291 and 293 respectively represent practically perfect golf. This fact serves only to accentuate the unique brilliance of Bobby Jones. Two youthful professionals, Hodson and Cotton, emerged in this championship and kept close to the leader for at least two rounds. In the qualifying rounds and In the first round of the championship proper, the British amateurs did extremely well, five of the leading 15 players being amateurs. Apart from the first round, Boomer and Robson were two strokes better than Jones, their aggregates for the three last rounds being 215, 215, 217 respectively. A RECORD WIN 1 The score of 68 by Bobby Jones in • his first round equals the extraordinary record for the course put up by 5 George Duncan in 1922.

The scores of the leading players were: * Jones, 285; Boomer and Robson, 291; E. R. Whitcombe and Kirkwood. 293; C. A. Whitcombe, 296; Havers and Hodson, 297; Cotton, 298; Herd, 300; Barnes, 301; Compston, 303; Braid, Ray and Dr. Tweddell, each 306; J. Tolley and R. Harris, 307; L. Nettlefold and Seymour, 318. At the end of the third round the best scores were:—Jones, 213; Robson, 217; Boomer and Kirkwood, 219; E. R. Whitcombe and Allis, 220; C. Whitcombe and Holland, 221; Cotton, 222. Jones did the four rounds in 68, 72, 73, 72. Robson did the third round in the fine total of 69. —A. and N.Z.