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Guldahl's Dazzling Finale Cops Masters'
Two-Time Runner-Up Finishes in Rush for 72-Hole Total of 279 to Overtake Snead by One Stroke and Set New Record - Burke, Little Tie for Third
By Tom Wall
Augusta, Ga., Monday, April 3, 1939 -- Stoop-shouldered Ralph Guldahl, whose coal-black hair and smooth features make him look more like a movie actor than a golfer, yesterday added the glittering Masters' championship to his great collection of golf gems.
The Madison, N.J., pro, heavily played in the book and the only man on record ever to win the National Open title two years in succession, having accomplished the second section of that record only last year, blazed a new Masters' tournament mark while stroking his way to the $1,500 top prize.
Guldahl posted a 72-hole total of 279, nine strokes under par and three better than the old course record of 282, to edge out long-driving Sam Snead of White Sulphur, W.Va., who had finished the route at 280.
GREATEST GOLFER
The man the pros all say represents the greatest golfer in the world today had made the turn on the final round needing to pick up two strokes to catch the streaking Snead. And he quickly seized on the opportunity to overhaul his famous rival, playing the back nine in 33.
Guldahl and Snead placed one-two in the all-star field as Billy Burke of Cleveland, the leader at the end of the first 18 holes, and W. Lawson Little Jr. of Bratton Woods, N.J., pulled up in a deadlock for third place at 282. This pair was one stroke under Gene Sarazen of Brookfield Center, Conn., who could not approach anything like the shot-making he knew Friday when he scored the tournament's lowest round - a 66 - and fell back in fourth place after heading the class at the halfway point.
Next in line came Craig Wood of Mamaroneck, N.Y., whose 72-hole total of 284 gave him a three-stroke advantage over Byron Nelson of Reading Pa., the 1937 Masters' champion who finished in the 1939 grind at 287.
DEFENDING CHAMPION
Defending Champion Henry Picard of Hershey, Pa., had a 289 total to lead Ben Hogan, White Plains, N.Y., by a lone stroke. Ed Dudley, the club professional, and Tony Penna of Dayton, Ohio, were buoyed at 291.
The illustrious Bobby Jones of Atlanta finished in a tie for 33rd place.
Twice runner-up in the Masters but never a champion until yesterday, the big fellow from New Jersey, waited two years before reversing the happening of 1937, when Nelson finished in a rush to overtake Guldahl and take the title right out of his opponent's hands. It was a bitter pill Guldahl was forced to swallow that day. Yesterday he let Snead know how it feels for a fellow to come charging down the final holes in a major tournament and ease the crowd onto someone else's head.
Snead was finishing up as Guldahl holed out at the ninth. He heard the announcer say, in a none too comforting voice, ``Sam Snead 280.'' Guldahl needed to play the incoming nine in 33 to win, 34 to tie. He knew in advance what lay ahead. He was a late finisher this time to contrast with the situation of two years ago.
METHODICAL PLAY
So, as methodical as a man could be without being a machine, Guldahl started going for the birdies and the eagles, He. got his birdie at the 10th, picked up pars at both the 11th and 12th, and now was face to face with his great chance. Perfectly-executed shots could put him in a position to get an eagle at the 13th. And an eagle would put him under Shead. He whammed a beautiful drive, employed a wood on the next and, while the big gallery of several thousand cheered wildly at the effort, saw his ball roll to within six feet of the pin.
``The greatest wood shot I ever saw,'' many were heard to remark. Guldahl, a big smile on is face, strode to the green and promptly dropped the putt for an eagle three. Snead, who only minutes before appeared a certain winner, was no better than second now.
The new champion and his playing partner, Lawson Little, got par fours at the 14th. But big Ralph wasn't satisfied. He wanted Old Man Par to yield even more, and this he did at the long 15th.
Two brilliant wood shots put him on the carpet, after which he used two putts to pick up still another stroke on Snead.
A second shot with plenty of roll proved costly at the 17th, where Guldahl was beyond the green, was forced to chip back and needed two putts before holing out. But he still enjoyed a one-stroke lead, and a par four at the 18th would clinch the title he had been chasing for ever so long. He got that four by following his drive with a beautiful iron shot dead to the pin. Two putts, and the Masters had a new champion.
MORNING ROUND
Guldahl's 69 for the final trek was his second sub-par round of the day. He clipped two strokes from the card on his morning try. Little finished with a 70 after having fashioned a scorching 68 in the morning.
Snead went to lunch with a 72, and came back in the afternoon to post a 68.
Charley Yates of Atlanta, and Chick Herbert of Battle Creek, Mich., finished in a dead heat for the amateur honors. They each had a total of 296. Yates, the British amateur champion, had rounds of 74-75 yesterday, Harbert 75-74.
Willie Turnesa of Elmsford, N.J., the present American amateur titleholder, finished with rounds of 79-73 for a 72-hole total of 300. Bob Jones' 73 for the final 18 represented his best card of the 1939 renewal. Conversely, his 78 on the morning round represented his poorest individual card of the tournament as he rocketed to 304. He opened with a 76 and followed this on Saturday with a 77.
Fully 5,000 spectators crowded around the putting green of the famous course to see Fielding Wallace of Augusta and an official of the United States Golf Association, present checks to the four leading players.
After warmly congratulating the new winner, Mr. Wallace paid tribute to Bob Jones as ``that great sportsman whom we all love.'' Mr. Wallace then stepped forward to deliver the checks for the winnings and the movie men and newspaper photographers started clicking away.
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