Diegel and Hagen

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 659, 10 May 1929, Page 9

Diegel and Hagen

TWO AMERICANS LEAD IN BRITISH OPEN SECOND ROUND SCORES (United P.A. — By Telegraph — Copyright) (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) (United Service) Reed. 10.20 a.m. LONDON. Thursday. In the British open golf championship, at. the end of the seebud round the leaders were: Diegel (United States) 11° Hagen (United States) ’tMitehell Alliss 11 •> Cruickshank (United States) .. 14*. Farrell (U.S. open champion) .. 147 Sarazen (United States) I*2 Golden (United States) I*7 Armour (United States) 14* Boomer -• *4£ Melhorn (United States) 14S Compston | |;J .Turado (Argentina) I^o Tolley 1 Macdonald Smith (United States) 151 Barnes LI Others: Jolly, R. Whitcombe. 152; Horton (United States), Smith, 153; Havers, Ockenden, Robson, Duncan, 154; Ray, 156. Under the rules, scores exceeding 154 would be eliminated in the remaining rounds, but the rules provide that there must be at least 60 competitors. Thus, 64 are left in, 157 being the highest qualifying score. Apart from veterans like Vardon. Herd ancl Massy (France), all the leading golfers qualified. The remaining rounds will be played to-morrow. In the second round, Hagen (United States) returned a score of 67, a new record for the Muirfield course. Hagen, partnering Cotton, put up a brave performance in the first round. He said: “With the rain streaming down my back, I am satisfied tvith my 75.” The storm seemed to “ginger him up,” as after it he came back with a meritorious 36. Duncan took seven strokes at the 15tli hole in the first round. In playing out from a bunker the ball jumped back and struck him on one arm, Involving a penalty. Tolley played his typical game, lie was occasionally magnificent and never monotonous. H| brought off some amazing recoveries from trouble. The critics express the opinion that there have never been so many players capable of sustaining brilliance for four rounds in any previous open championship.

HAGEN’S GREAT FEAT BOBBY JONES’S RECORD ECLIPSED CROWD HAMPERS OTHERS (United Service) Reed. 1.1 p.m. LONDON, Thursday. In the second round of the open golf championship today at Muirfield, Walter Hagen (America) returned the phenomenal score of 67. This is a uew record for any charnpiousbip round on any British course. The previous best was Bobby Jones's 6.8 in 1927. Hagen bunkered twice, yet each time he got birdie. Otherwise he did not leave the line. His card read:—Out: 4,4, 3,3, 4, 3,3, 5, 4—33 Home: 4,4, 4, 3. 3. 4, 3,5, 4—34. It included six birdies and two eagles. He never exceeded par figures. He got four at the longest hole, 510 yards, and three at holes measuring 3SO yards, 450 yards, 450 yards. Ten thousand spectators followed. Hagen kept them waiting usually a couple of minutes while he surveyed the line putts from all angles. At least two competitors suffered from Hagen's greatness. The American Cruickshank beat Hagen's figures at 13 holes and only required par figures for the remaining five to equal Hagen’s record. The crowds scampering across the course to witness Hagen’s finish held him up. Duncan does not play well unless he plays quickly. Many checks to enable Hagen’s crowd to get clear put him off. Diegel did wonderfully well until the crowd hampered him. Compston made one bad slip. His card included a seven, but his fighting spirit remains. The leading 11 competitors include eight Americans.