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. , : . Stranahan, Ward All-American Finalists in British Tourney 1 , , Meet in Thirty-Six Hole Match Today for Coveted Amateur Golf Championship By HENRY THORNBERRY United Press Sports Writer PRESTWICK, Scotland, May 30. Two-time, champion Frank Stranahan of Toledo, Ohio, and Harvie Ward of Tarboro, N. C, charged into the finals of the British Amateur golf championship today and will meet tomorrow in the third straight all-Ameri-can showdown f of the classic crown. Striving desperately to become the first American ever to win three British Amateur titles, Stranahan saved himself with a spectacular rally in the semi-finals by sweeping the last three holes for a two up victory over Robin Cater of England. The muscular sparkplug heir, winner in 1948 and 1950, routed Charles Carlow of Scotland, 8 and 7, on the morning round.,. Ward, 26-year-old former U. S. intercollegiate titleholder - performing brilliantly with a -putter he found in an old barn back home, whipped Walker cupper Jimmy Mc-Hale of Philadelphia, 6 and 5, in the quarterfinals and pulled out a tough-all-the-way 2 and 1 decision over talented Joe Carr of Ireland to reach the final. Thus the huge silver trophy was certain to cross the Atlantic for the eleventh time in history. For the fourth time in the last six years, Americans will be pitted in the final. The third straight ail-American final stacks up as one of .the best since Stranahan and Ward have been bitter rivals in the North and South Amateur at Pine-hurst, TJ. C, where theyve met twice for the title. Each holds a decision and tomorrows 36-hole final is their rubber match. For a time today, it appeared the slim, stylish Ward, competing in his first British Amateur, would have to carry the title load alone. All Eyen After Nine Holes Stranahan and Cater were all square after nine holes of their semi-final but the Briton went 1 up at the thirteenth where Stranahan blew a short putt. They halved the fourteenth and fifteenth, leaving the Yank with 1 down with only three to play. Stranahan got a break at the sixteenth after sailing an approach over the green, winning the hole after Cater ran into even worse difficulty with a pulled drive and a weak recovery. Playing with renewed confidence with the match all square, Stranahan quickly closed out the victory as the pressure told on his less experienced foe. He went one up at the seventeenth where the Briton chipped weakly and captured the eighteenth by crashing out of the rough with an approach shot dead to the pin. Cater conceded the match. Stranahans morning round was as easy as the semi-final was rugged. Out in 36 against Carlow, he went seven up at the turn, thanks to his opponents many errors and breezed home a winner, 8 and 7. Ward played the most spectacular golf of the tournament against McHale in the morning, firing a front nine of 32 for a five up lead at the turn. He went six up at the twelfth where McHale pounded into a trap and ran out. his victory at the thirteenth which they halved. In the semi-final against Carr, the slender Carolinian lost the first hole but won the third and never again trailed at any point against the veteran Irish campaigner. Carr opened with a brilliant three, dropping his brassie shot two feet from the pin, but Ward drew even by winning the third when Carr roughed his tee shot and required four shots to reach the green. Ward shot into the lead for the first time at the fifth when Carr hit a bunker and went two up at the eighth by ramming down a 12 -footer after Carr drove into the rough. Carr nearly chipped into the cup at.the eleventh and won the hole, shaving the Americans lead to one up when Ward missed a four-footer. Ward went two up again at the twelfth, but lost the fourteenth when Carr out drove him and played a superior approach. Both had eight-foot putts at the fifteenth but Carr missed after Ward got down and the American went two up again. They halved the last two holes, giving the happy Ward a berth in the finals, 2 and 1. j Silver trophy which was presented to young Troy Ruttman following his re-ord-breaking performance in the 500-mile speedway classic at Indianapolis yesterday.
