view raw text
Chapman Captures British Amateur Makes Good on His ► Fourth Try in Meet Shoots Three Birdies and Two Pars on Last Five Holes ToBeatCoeforChampionship By HENRY W. THORNBERRY United Press Sports Writer PORTHCAWL, Wales, May 26.— Dick Chapman, a 40 -year-old bond salesman from Pinehurst, Nr C, finally won the British Amateur golf championship today, making good on his fourth try as he bested Charley Coe of Oklahoma City 5 and 4 in the All-American final.- Shooting steady, and at many times, brilliant golf in the rain, mud and wind over the tricky, bunker-dotted royal Porth-cawl course, Chapman finally made up for the heart-breaking defeats he suffered in this same tournament in 1947 and again in 1950. In 1947 he was beaten in the finals by Willie Turnesa, last year by Frank Stranahan. The other time he tried, in 1948-, he was eliminated in the fifth round by Charles Lowery of Scotland. Today, against the erratic putting and approaching of his 27-year-old opponent and Walker Cup teammate, Chapman saved his best golf for the last five holes, when he fired three birdies and two pars to end on the 32nd hole the dreams Coe had of winning the championship on his first try. Takes Lead on Fifth Hole Coe did not go down without a fight, but this time Chapman was not to be denied. He took the lead on the fifth hole, when he chipped out of a bunker beautifully to within 20 feet of the cup and then sank his putt to go 1 up. He never was headed after that, although he held only a 2 up margin at the end of 18 and was only 1 up going into the final nine holes of the scheduled 36-hole match. That recovery on the fifth set the pattern of the match for Chapman, for he often found himself in bunkers, only to come out spectacularly and make up for his wildness on the fairways. •T thought the trophy was going to elude me forever," Chapman smiled when Coe came up to congratulate him on his victory. "It was touch and go until the final turn and then I knew I was going to win." Chapman was kept on the course at least 30 minutes after the match ended, signing autographs. When Mrs. Chapman and Mrs. Coe, who had followed the match throughout, finally managed to reach their husbands. They kissed them. And Mrs. Chapman, who had been excitable throughout in contrast to the calmness of Mrs. Coe, then turned and kissed Coe. "Dick played a great game and deserved to win," Coe said, shaking his head sadly as he recalled the short putts he missed. "I may be back for another shot next year when I hope to win." At Best for Final Nine Holes Chapman was at his best as they teed off for the final nine, after showing signs of cracking up. He had taken two successive sixes on. the third nine which enabled Coe to cut his margin to 1 up. Chapman laid an approach shot dead to the pin on the 345-yard, wooded, narrow-green hole and holed out the putt for a birdie three. On the short, 186-yard 29th, he put his tee shot just two inches from the cup for a birdie two. He continued his deadly approaching on the 485-yard 30th hole, putting his second shot on the green, sending his first putt within six feet of the cup and sinking his next for a four, his third successive birdie. Meanwhile, Coe had shot even par for those three holes, and when that wasnt good enough he realized that he was doomed to defeat. Chapman sent his second shot on the 31st to within 10 feet of the cup while Coes second landed in the rough just off the green. The Oklahoman chipped magnificently to within two feet, however, to save a halve in par four. On the 154-yard par 32nd, Chapmans second rolled four feet past the cup, while Coe drove into a bunker, chipped out and put his third shot a yard from the pin. But - the methodical Carolinian calmly canned the four-footer to close out the match and win the coveted trophy for the U. S. for the 10th time. It marked the fourth- time in five years the TJ. S. won the title — Turnesa in 1947 and Stranahan in 1948 and last year. Until that burst of birdies by Chapman, however, it %as nip and tuck, although the victor piled up his biggest margin of the match, 3 up, by winning the first hole of the afternoon round. Then came his bad streak, upon which the chain-smoking Coe capitalized in one of the few stretches in which he could make his putter behave. Chapman, who called Coe "the finest golfer in America," became the sixth U. S. star to win both the U. S. and British* Ama- teur titles. He won the U. S. title in 1940. Coe was shooting for that distinction, too, for he won the U. S. championship in 1949. Walter Travis, Jess Sweetser, Bobby Jones, Lawson Little and Turnesa had accomplished the feat before Chapman. Chapman earned his two up margin on the morning 18 with a two under par 70 as Coe shot a one over par 73. Chapman went out in even par 36, as did Coe, but came back in 34 against Coes 37. For the 32 holes he needed to win, Chapman was three under par. He slipped to a 38, two over, on the third nine, to be all even with par, but by firing those three successive birdies on the 28th, 29th and 30th holes, he managed to shave three strokes off regulation figures for as far as the match went. The cards: Par out 444 354 354—36 Par in 435 434 454—36—72 Morning Round Coe out 444 355 353—36 Chapman out 444 345 354—36 Coe in 426 434 455—37—73 Chapman in 334 434 454—34—70 Chapman led, two up. Afternoon Round Coe out 544 454 353—37 Chapman out 345 366 344—38 Coe in 435 44 Chapman in 324 42 Chapman won; five and four. *
