1938-06-03 — Page 20

THE CHINA MAIL, JUNE 3, 1938

Walker Cup Classic To-Day

THE BRITISH PLAYERS

John B. Beck, the captain aged 38, is the oldest member of the team. Born in Luton, he is one of the best stroke players in the South of Eng- land and has won many competitions. His outstanding match-play success was in the President's Putter, in 1937, but he has not played in the Walker Cup competition since 1928. He has represented England twice against Scotland, and once against Ireland, Wales and the U.S.A.

James Bruen, born in Belfast or May 8, 1920, is the most promising young amateur Great Britain has seen since the war. He won the Boy's Championship in 1936 and Irish native amateur title last year. He did not defend the Boys' Championship last August, although he was eligible to do so, as he preferred to devote his ener- gies to representing Ireland in Inter- national matches.

Bruen was the leading amateur in the Irish Open Championship last year. He has played for his country against England, Scotland and Wales. His fa- vourite shots are No. 7 and 8 Irons. In the trials he did four rounds of St. Andrews Old Course From the back tees in 282.

BRITAIN'S PROSPECTS ARE

MUCH BRIGHTER

But

America Unbeaten

Since 1922!

ALL EYES ON BRUEN

(By AIR MAIL-Special To "China Mail")

London, May 21. HERE is a definite likelihood this year of Britain winning the Walker Cup Golf competition, which will be held to-day and to-morrow, over St. Andrew's Ever since the inauguration of the Walker Cup competition in 1922, when it was played at National Liriks, Long Island, U.S.A., in August, America has won with comparative ease.

Only twice has Great Britain looked at all like winning. In 1923, at St. Andrews, the U.S. won 6 matches, Britain won 5 and one was halved; and in 1926, also at St. Andrews, the grand aggregate score was the same, U.S.A. 6, Great Britain 5 and one match halved.

When the last contest was held, in 1936, at Pine Valley, America scored 9 to Great Britain's 0, three matches being halved. It is not a question then, of of

Britain

Harry Geoffrey Bentley, Manchester- born and aged 30, is the winner many tournaments and titles in various parts of Europe. He possesses a wide knowledge of golf on both sides of the Atlantic, and the inestimable ability to be inspired at the right time.

Bentley held the English ama- teur championship in 1936. He held the French Open amateur championship in 1931 and 1932 and the German in 1933 and 1937. He has played for England, six times against Ireland, seven times against Scotland, five against Wales and

times

three times

against France. He was in the British Walker Cup team in 1934 and 1936.

Leonard George Crawley, aged 34, a member of a famous sporting family, was born in Suffold and had brilliant games careers at Harrow and at Cam- bridge. He represented Cambridge at cricket, rackets and golf. Moreover, he played cricket for Essex. He was ce a schoolmaster in Scotland, but he is now in the City.

Crawley

won the English Close Championship in 1931. He won the President's Putter in 1932 and numer- ous other tournaments and competi- tions.

aged 31.

He

Alexander Thomson Kyle, was born at Hawick, in Scotland. has no outstanding victories to his cre- dit, but he is always reliable. He was twice Yorkshire champion and he has won several important Lothian tourna- ments.

He is the

John J. F. Pennink is 24. only member of the team to be born out of Britain. He was born in Delft. Holland. He is one of the steadiest players in the team. His rather arti. ficial style is eminently suited to his temperament, and his strongest point is a consistent length. He is holder of the English championship for the sec- ond time.

having a noble heritage, a glorious prestige to live up to and to maintain.

Far from it. The task that con- fronts Britain's Walker Cup players is one of initial con- struction, a task for pioneers with strong spirits.

Here is the British team: J. B. Beck (Sundridge Park) (Captain), James Bruen (Muskerry), H. G. Bentley (Hesketh), L. G. Crawley (Brancepeth Costle), Alexander Kyle (Sand Moore).. John Pennink (Royal Ashdown Forest), Gordon Peters (Fereneze), Charles Towe (Penn), Hector Thomson (Wil- liamwood) and Cecil Ewing,

runner-

up in the recent British Amateur event. There are five Englishmen, three Scots Land two Irishmen in the team.

AMERICANS CONFIDENT The American Walker Cup team is captained by Francis Ouimet.

Before sailing Quimet said, "We shall be meeting strange golfers this In their attempt to gain for Great time as I understand the British have Britain a decisive victory and to set a shaken up their team, but all our boys |high standard for future British play-have been playing fine golf here and I

00000

THE WINNER

BRITISH

of the

AMATEUR

GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP

played throughout with the

SPALDING

TOPFLITE

GOLF BALL

THE AMERICAN PLAYERS

Ouimet is the only player who has been a member of every Walker Cup team. He has held the American Open and Amateur championships and was six times beaten in the semi-final of the American amateur championship. As far back as 1914, Ouimet won the French Amateur title. In 1923 he was beaten in the semi-final of the British Amateur Championship. He was born on May 8, 1893.

Playing in Walker Cup singles, he has won four matches, lost two and halved two, while in the foursomes he has been on the winning side five times and losing side three times.

Ray Billows is a newcomer to Walker Cup matches. His best performance in-competitive golf was last year when he was beaten in the final of the American Amateur championship. He had previously reached the quarter- final of that competition. He was born on June 12, 1914.

- Fischer is best known for his defeat of Jack McLean, in the final of the 1936 American Amateur championship, the match going to the thirty seventh hole before Fischer won. Fischer has played in two previous Walker Cup matches, in 1984 and 1936.

He won both his singles, but did not participate in the foursomes. He was born on March 10, 1912.

Goodman has been American. Ama: teur and Open champion and has won two singles and two foursomes in the Walker Cup matches in which he has played. He was born on December 27, 1909.

Haas won the Canadian Amateur championship in 1986 and last year was the National Inter-Collegiate champion. He was born on January 3. 1916.

Gordon Peters, aged 27, a Glasgovian. has for some years been considered one of Scotland's soundest amateurs.]@ Glasgow champion in 1934, he has played for Scotland many times and gained Walker Cup honours two years ago. As a master of the controlled iron shot, he is perfectly at home on the rolling fairways of St. Andrews. Charles Stowe, who was born

ers to seek, to attain, or to surpass, think we can maintain

Kocsis started playing golf when six our winning at they are engaged in a crusade, each streak”.

vears old and caddied for four years. Penn, near Wolverhampton, about 30 stage of which will be watched with

The team is confident that the ama-

He was born on January 28, 1918. years ago, played his early golf or the keenest interest by golfing

en-teurs of Great Britain will not wrest American Amateur championship in Smith was a semi-finalist in the Penn Common, where Archie Compstor thusiasts all over the world.

from them the Cup which their coun- 1984, and last year reached the quarter learned the game. At one time a pit

try has won every time since the in-finals. Five times during the worker, Stowe is now a surface en-

1984 gineer at Dudley Colliery.

ception of the event in 1922. He har

AMERICAN TEAM many international 'caps”.

Hector Thomson, aged 24, is a bril liant golfer who learned the game a* Macrihanish, his birthplace, under the care of his father, professional at the club.

One of our outstanding iron- players, Thomson began his career, by winning the Boys' Championship in 1981. Since then he has been Scottish cham- plon twice, and he won the British title at St. Andrews in 1936, beating the Australian, Jim Ferrier, in the final. Thomson withdrew, from the Irish

The cynosure of attention will be young James Bruen, the 18- year-old Irish boy, who has been widely hailed as another Bobby Jones. Wherever he is playing now, since his recent magnificent per- formances in the Walker Cup trials, he is the magnet for the crowd.

Another gratifying feature is the ro turn to form of Hector Thomson, ama- teur champion, two years ago, who since winning the title has been in poor health.

The players are:

F. de Sales Oulmat (Woodland G. C. Auburndale, Mass.), R. E Billows (Dutchess G. and C. C. Poughkeepsie, N.Y.), J. W Fischer (Highland.C.C. Fort Thomas. Ken- tucky), J. G. Goodman (Omaha Field Club, Omaha, Nebraska), F. T. Haas (Colonial C.C., New Or leans, Louisiana). C. Kocsis (Red (Continued on Page 21)

championship he had to go to an extra hole before winning. He has thrice holed his tee shot.. He played in the 1986 Walker Cup match, winning his singles and foursome. He was born on July 1, 1912.

Ward was in the semi-final of last year's American Amateur champion- shin. He was born on May 1, 1918,

Yates, who only recently beat Cecil Ewing in the final of the British Ama- teur Golf Championship, at Troon. has played in six American Amateur cham. nionships and two American Open championships. He, was National In-

Open Amateur Championship last year [nament player and only recently gain-ter-Collegiate champion in 1984, Play- bocause of a breakdown, he has nursed. ed. the limelight when he reached the ed in the 1980 Walker Cup match, win- himself back into form now,

Cecil Ewing, the second Trishman in nam of the British Amateur Golf ning his single and halving his four- the British team, is a wellknown tour-beaten by C. B. Yates.

in Championship, at Troon, but was some. He was born on September 9,

1918.

J