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Horton Smith Wins Tournament
Chicago Pro Produces Par 72 To Pace Wood By Lone Stroke; Jones Finishes in 13th Place
BOB JONES PLANS TO PLAY AGAIN IN THE 1935 TOURNAMENT
Masters' Event Will Be Made Annual Affair, Officials Announce
Horton Smith Says There Is Nothing Monotonous About Augusta National
By Tom Wall
Chronicle Sports Editor
Augusta, Ga., Monday, March 26, 1934 -- There is no monotony in playing the Augusta National Golf Course, says its first champion, Horton Smith, of Oak Park, Ill., and in 1935 the marvelous layout will again be the scene of one of the greatest tournaments in the history of the game. Smith, winner of the first Masters' Invitation Tournament, which marked the return of Bobby Jones to competitive golf, had nothing but praise for the course last night as officials of the finest course in the country made definite plans for the 1935 event.
Jones, the Grand Slam King of the ancient and royal game, declared that he will not participate in another event this year and that he is patiently awaiting March of 1935 when he will be host and competitor to those entered in the Masters event. ``I am agreeably surprised at the interest displayed in our tournament and I am inclined to think that we have inaugurated a meeting of golfers and the golfing fraternity generally that should be made a regular winter feature,'' Jones said last night as he prepared to leave today for Pinehurst, N.C., where he will be a spectator at the North and South Classic.
Will Practice Putting
``I will be glad to lend my efforts to make equally successful next season's tournament at my club, and as a contestant I shall plan to do a little practice at putting with the idea of giving my tournament friends a more interesting contest at scoring on the Augusta National.''
A few minutes before Jones issued the statement, and it became known publicly that the tournament was a financial success, it was also learned that the Board of Governors had decided to establish the tournament as an annual event. Clifford Roberts, chairman of the executive committee and to who is due much credit for the great success of the tournament, issued the following statement:
An Annual Event
``The Board of Governors of the Augusta National Golf course, having realized the importance from a national standpoint of the tournament, which they originally conceived, together from a personal angle of bringing together a few of the leading golfers who might enjoy playing in a winter gathering, have decided to establish the Augusta National Invitation tournament as an annual event.''
In the next paragraph, the statement by Mr. Roberts introduced that of Mr. Jones. No official statement concerning the attendance at the four-day event was forthcoming last night as most of the major linksmen made ready for the Pinehurst event.
Ed Dudley, Augusta National club professional, is one of the stellar linksmen who plans to enter the classic and he said last night that he will return to Augusta Thursday. Dudley will accompany Jones to Pinehurst.
Smith Praises Course
The Oak from Oak Park - Horton Smith - who, incidentally, was the last golfer to beat Bob Jones before the Georgian retired in 1930, was all praise for Bobby's dream course.
``There is nothing monotonous about that course and it is one of the most beautiful I ever played,'' Smith declared. Each one of the holes presents something new.'' Smith made the statement a few hours after he had received $1,500 for out-distancing a large field, including Jones, Paul Ronyan, Craig Wood, Ed Dudley, Billy Burke, Willie MacFarlane, Walter Hagen and a host of internationally known golf stars.
Shortly after he had received the check for first prize money, Smith walked out on the putting green of the beautiful course where cameramen clicked machines often as he clasped hands with Georgia' most illustrious son.
(By The Associated Press)
Bob Jones is through competitive golf for 1934 but he will be back here again to renew the argument with his professional rivals in next winter's tournament, already definitely planned for the Augusta National course. ``Unless I break down completely, I will play in this tournament in 1935,'' said the Georgian, after finishing ten strokes back of Horton Smith, winner of the first Masters' Invitation. ``We plan to make this an annual event and I hope to participate annually, regardless of where I finish.''
Jones completely squashed the suggestion that he may return to national open championship competition, however. He declared he has no idea whatsoever of entering this year's open at Merion or any other title event. ``I'm through with all that business,'' he said.
As to his reaction to his first competition since he retired with the ``Grand Slam'' in 1930, Jones added, ``I would have enjoyed myself more if I had got more of those short putts down but I had a good time, anyway, and I hope the rest of the fellows did. Until the tournament began, I did not realize what a big difference there is between playing these friendly practice rounds and a tournament where every shot counts. I simply could not get putting confidence and control, no matter how much advice or how many clubs I tried.
``That's the story. It's not strange, because a lot of other golfers have had the same trouble. Otherwise I felt I was hitting the ball as well as ever.''
Walter Hagen, who declared before the tournament that Jones did not have a chance to win because he was too much occupied with the role of host, paid Bob the tribute of making a ``grand finish'' on yesterday's final round.
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