1935

Gene Plays Machine Like Golf and Takes First Place With 71-73 - 144

By Alan Gould
Associated Press Sports Editor

Augusta, Ga., Tuesday, April 9, 1935 -- Gene Sarazen, Connecticut farmer and climax man of professional golf, mowed down Craig Wood yesterday in a frost-bitten cold-blooded play-off match for the top prize of $1,500 in the August National Golf club's second annual invitation tournament.

The former British and American open champion flattened the blond New Jersey slugger by five strokes in a 36-hole contest that was never in doubt after the first dozen holes had been played. Sarazen negotiated the double round in 71-72 - 144, even par, while Wood carded 75-74 - 149.

After gaining a four-stroke lead in the morning play over a rain-drenched course, Sarazen doubled his margin on the outgoing nine this afternoon. Wood staged a belated rally, with six holes to go. He bagged two birdies and trimmed three strokes off Gene's lead by coming back in 34, two under par, but it was simply a case of locking the barn door after the horse had been stolen.

Sarazen's triumph, his first in major competition in two years, was the result of one of the most flawless exhibitions of shot-making ever witnessed. Gene was a scoring machine from tee to green all day long. His golf was so consistently perfect that it was monotonous. There were no real thrills as he carded only three birdies, went over par on three other holes and equaled par on the remaining 30.

24 Consecutive Pars

Sarazen's playoff victory was the climax of an astounding comeback. His chances looked hopeless Sunday until he suddenly pulled off one of the rarest and most amazing shots in golf by sinking a 220-yard spool wallop for a ``double eagle'' deuce on the 445 yard, par-five 15th hole. This gift from the goddess of fortune put him in a tie with Wood, who apparently had first place all wrapped up and, in fact, had been receiving congratulations long before Sarazen came home to make it a deadlock at 282 each for the regulation 72 holes.

It was a bitter setback for the blond Jersey star, who has so often had the door to opportunity slammed in his face. Wood was runner-up to Horton Smith in last year's Augusta tournament. He collected the place money, $800, for the second straight year and in addition received a check for $500 from Alfred S. Bourne, New York sportsman, who drew Wood in the tournament's ``Calcutta pool.''

Accurate Game

Where Sarazen had only two three-putt greens out of 36 and was seven under regulation figures altogether in his putting work, Wood was erratic and repeatedly tossed away chances to cut down Gene's early margin by putting weakly. Craig putted short of the cup no less than eight times, including five on the last nine. the Jersey's ``siege gun'' if he had seized all his belated opportunities, would have roared back in 30 but he couldn't find the range. Sarazen was never bunkered and in the rough only four times throughout the playoff. He finished the tournament, including 106 holes, without ever carding a six or anything beyond a five. For the complete route, Gene was six under par over the course which Robert T. Jones Jr. played a big part in designing and which Sarazen himself declared to be one of the finest tests he has ever seen. This was Sarazen's first appearance in the tournament. His six rounds were 68-71-73-70-71 and 72.

Turning point

It looked like a real dogfight at that point but Sarazen dropped a 20-foot putt for a birdie on the 430-yard 10th, nestling among the mounds and trees, and the rout was on. Wood got a regulation four by playing a fine chip shot off the side bank but he missed his approach to Number 11, carded a five and lost another shot to Gene's perfectly executed four. On the short 12th, across the green, Sarazen holed out easily for his three while Wood whacked his tee shot into the thickly matted bank at the rear of the green end then took two putts from six feet for a four.

The dogleg 13th, winding along the creek and with thick woods to the left, was a heart-breaker for Wood. He was lucky to card a six, with two penalty strokes. He drove into the water, dropped out and then promptly hooked his next shot into the creek in an attempt to carry the green. Dropping out again, he pitched on and ran down a three-foot putt for a six. Sarazen's safely played five gave him a four-stroke margin and his par golf gave Wood no loophole on the rest of the morning stretch. Wood, in fact, had to scramble for three of his pars to avoid dropping out of sight.

String of Pars

It was just a breeze for Gene from there on. Wood missed another putt of three feet for a birdie on the 28th and lipped the cup on the 30th before finally getting back a stroke on the long 31st, with a birdie four. It was the first winner for Wood in 25 consecutive holes. He sliced off another stroke with a deuce on the short 35th where he dropped his tee shot only three feet from the pin. He regained another at the 35th, where Sarazen finally bowed to par by missing an approach and carding a five to Wood's four. Gene missed another approach on the last hole but got down a six-footer to match Craig's four.

The playoff ended a tournament which witnessed some remarkable shot-making by the professional clan along with W. Lawson Little Jr., the national amateur champion - who finished sixth - and was marked by the failure of Bob Jones' second attempted comeback. Jones finished the regulation 72 holes in 297, 15 strokes behind the leaders and in a tie for 25th place. The Georgian, lacking the competitive edge to give his old rivals a contest nowadays, nevertheless made an excellent showing under the conditions. He finished ahead of five former national open champions and he plans to renew the friendly tussle next spring in a tournament that has taken its place among the country's foremost golfing fixtures.