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Snead and Ferrier Inverness Choices Veteran Pair Will Attempt To Repeat 50 Win Against Sixteen of Nations Best Pros TOLEDO, Ohio, June 20 UP— Defending champions Sam Snead and Jim Ferrier were solid favorites to repeat as 16 of the nations top pros put in final practice rounds today for the rugged Inverness Invitational four-ball crown. The 6,558-yard, par 71 layout was in top-notch shape for the opening of the 126-hole grind tomorrow. After making the rounds, the eight team entries generally agreed that a smooth putter and the stamina of an ox would be a deciding factor — qualities that Ferrier and Snead put together successfully for 5,000 last year. Even though the greens were lightning fast and the rough a little deep, the course looked like a paved highway to 13 of the entries who dropped down here from the nightmare of sand and high grass encountered at last weeks National Open in Birmingham, Mich. Snead, the grim West Virginian, and his colorful partner from Ojai, Calif., open the matches as they meet E. J. "Dutch" Harrison ot Little Rock, Ark., and Marty Furgol, Lemont, HI. Haas and Oliver Team Up Following them off the tee will be Fred Haas, Jr., and Ed "Porky" Oliver, who will meet Lloyd Mangrum, fourth place finisher in the National Open, and teammate Cary Middlecoff, the golfing dentist from Memphis. Two newcomers, Al Brosch of Garden City, N. Y., and Pete Cooper meet veterans Clayton Haefner, National Open runner-up, and Johnny Palmer. Jovial Jimmy De-maret is teamed with young Jack Burke, Jr. They will meet Henry Ransom and Roberto de Vincenzo, the sensational Argentinian, who recently won the Goodall tourney. Vincenzo and Ransom were rated as good bets to upset the favored Snead-Ferrier duo. Although the rolling course took on a festive air, specators were saddened to learn that National Open winner, Bantam Ben Hogan, would not be on hand, although the other eight teams shed no particular tears. Hogan teamed with Demaret to win the Inverness four times. After the first 18 holes tomorrow, the teams shift into a 36-hole-a-day pace, winding up on Sunday. Under the complicated scoring system, each of the eigth team scores are kept cumulatively after each match. Each team meets every other in four-ball, best-ball play, carrying over from day to day.
