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1946
KEISER WINS IN MASTERS
Ben Hogan Takes 2nd Spot Check
Winner Turns in 74 In the Last Round For a 282 Total
By Harry Gage
Chronicle Sports Editor
Augusta, Ga., Monday, April 8, 1946 -- Plodding Herman Keiser won the 10th Masters tournament here yesterday afternoon with a 72-hole total of 282 when little Ben Hogan used up three putts to hole out on the 18th at the Augusta National Golf Club. A throng estimated at close to 10,000 saw the final round.
Fighting the nerve-wracking handicap of a battery of whirring cameras, Hogan rolled past the cup to miss a birdie for a 281 winning score. On his two-foot return to can the par for a tie, the Hershey professional was an inch wide of the hole. He dropped a one-footer for a final round total of 70 and a four-day score of 283.
KEISER THREE-PUTTS
Previously the methodical Akron professional, Keiser had used up three putts on the 18th to open wide the gates for Hogan to charge through and claim the top prize of $2,500. He, too, was visibly disturbed by the buzzing of the cameras.
Ex-sailor Keiser logged a one-over 37 on the out side, and was par figures coming home until he ran into the almost disastrous last hole. He registered another 37 on the back side for a final round of 74.
Playing in-and-out golf for the first nine, Keiser's red-hot putter brought in birdies on the second, sixth and eighth holes. He banged in a 30-footer on the sixth for a two. He was over, with fives on the first, fifth, seventh and ninth.
During the four rounds, Keiser three-putted only four times, three of them on the final day of competition. He had previously carded 69, 68 and 71.
GREAT UPHILL BATTLE
Hogan staged one of the greatest uphill battles ever waged over the 6,800-yard National course. He opened with a two-over 74, and followed up with 73 and a 69 Saturday.
Bob Hamilton, Chicago, Ill., came in with a final round of par 72 for a 287 total and third money. He was two strokes ahead of Ky Laffoon of Orlando, Fla., Jim Ferrier of Chicago, and Jim Demaret of Houston, Texas, at 289.
Grouped for a four-way tie for fifth money were Sam Snead of Hot Springs, Va., Byron Nelson, Toledo, Ohio, Clayton Heafner, Charlotte, N.C., and Chick Harbert of Detroit, Mich. They had totals of 290.
Carey Middlecoff, Memphis, Tenn., amateur, paced the non-pros with a 292 card, one of the lowest scores ever posted in the Masters by a simon-pure. The army dentist had a final round 74. Charley Yates had a 287 in 1934 for the best amateur mark.
Bobby Jones wound up with a 302 total, posting a final round 78.
PRETTY LUCKY
Showing no outward emotion as the fast-charging Hogan swept along the home stretch picking up strokes at almost every turn, when he heard that Hogan needed a four to win, Keiser commented to the veteran Craig Wood, ``I hope he gets a three or a five.'' Hogan would have won on a three, but lost on a five.
``I didn't have the slightest idea that little Ben could close so fast. I guess I was pretty lucky.''
Keiser said he would make his next tournament bid at the River Oaks Country Club at Houston, Texas, in May. Hogan will also be competing in the event.
Keiser will join four other professionals, Nelson, Lawson Little, Snead and Demaret, for a special exhibition in Spartanburg, S.C., today.
Going into the home stretch, Keiser held a five-blow lead. Hogan began chopping this down at the offset, bagging a one-under 35 for the first nine. He was hot as a pistol coming in and sank birdies on the par three 12th, the long par five 13th, and just missed an eagle by an inch on the 15th, a par five hole. Hogan parred the 16th and two-putted the 17th for par. The unbelievable three-putt on the 18th spoiled his bid.
The little Texas ex-caddy was wasting few shots. He went over only on the final hole. Before making his first putt on the 18th, Hogan studied the contour of the green for a minute and 45 seconds. In the three putts, he used up slightly more than three minutes.
Many of the players will return to their home clubs today, the Masters being the wind-up of the winter circuit, to begin practice for the summer swing.
HOGAN IN MOVIE
Hogan will remain over at the National for another week while Pathe films ``The Mighty Atom of Golf,'' a movie on playing the game. Ben said he had no idea what the film would include, but he expressed a desire that it be made in color. ``Why that would make one of the most beautiful technicolor movies ever seen,'' he said, paying tribute to the loveliness of the Masters site.
The 18 hole cards:
Par out454-343-454-36
Keiser out544-352-545-37
Hogan out544-343-444-35
Par in443-545-344-36
Keiser in443-545-345-37-74
Hogan in442-545-345-35-70
Leading Scorers
Cards of the leading scorers in the final round of the annual Masters golf tournament:
Par out454-343-454-36
Felix Serafin out444-353-354-35
Horton Smith out353-453-444-35
Ben Hogan out544-343-444-35
Par in443-545-344-36-72
Felix Serafin in542-525-344-34-69
Horton Smith in453-434-344-34-69
Ben Hogan in442-454-345-35-70
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