Professional Palsy

To Atlanta, Ga., journeyed dapper Walter Hagen, noisy Bill Mehlhorn, dour Bobbie Cruickshank, swart Gene Sarazen, with many another expert, professional wielder of wood and iron. They were to compete in the Southern Open Golf Tournament, suddenly of great importance because of record purse. They hoped with fervor for money; they also hoped for the almost unattainable honor of beating Bobbie Jones, amateur.

Over Jones's home course at the East Lake Country Club, they whacked their troubled way, eyes wandering from purse to Jones and back to purse again. For his first round the modest amateur took a conservative 72; the professionals were relieved momentarily. Then word spread over the feverish battleground that Jones had again gone mad, achieved a shocking 66; professional Adam's apples twitched nervously, professional eyes bulged, professional shots began to find horrible, score-mounting hazards.

At the end of 72 holes, Jones found himself possessed of still another title. To his U. S. Open and British Open titles, he had added that of his native Dixieland. Professionals Johnny Farrell, Quaker Ridge, N. Y., and John Golden, Patterson, N. J., were tied for second place, eight strokes behind the winder's 281. In an especially arranged playoff two days later, Golden defeated Fanell 70-71, took the first cash award, $4,000.