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j I I I r- Harvie Ward Wijns British Golf Cron Repels Stranahans Bid For Third Championship With Easy 6-5 Triumph By HENRY THORNBERRY United Press Sports Writer PRESTWICK, Scotland, May 31.— Harvie Ward, a 26-year-old ex-U. S. collegiate champion from Tarboro, N. c, overcame a case of first round putting jitters today to crush veteran campaigner Frank Strana-han, 6 and 5, and win the British Amateur golf tournament by the second biggest margin in 18 years. The title was Wards first International crown, and to get it he was playing a man who already had won two British Amateurs. But on this treacherous seaside course today, it was Stranahan, the "amateur pro," who collapsed under pressure and flubbed into 11 bunkers, traps or roughs during the 31-hole duel.. He drove into the river once and lost his ball like a Sunday duffer once. Young Ward blew putts of less than three feet on three of the first six holes, but then pulled even and took a 2 up lead by winning four of the last five holes on the morning round. In the afternoon he methodically chopped down the Toledo, Ohio, strong boy by winning five out of the first i nine holes. Lawson Little beat J. Wallace, 14 and 13, in 1934, and since then there has been only one final as lopsided as the one played today. It was won, ironically, by Stranahan, who beat Dick Chapman of Pinehurst, N. C, 8 and 6, for the 1950 title. Stranahan never stopped fighting before todays sparse gallery of 1,000, and he scored an eagle three on the 503-yard 30th hole to stave off an even worse beating than he finally took. But on the very next hole, the end came. Stranahan overshot the green with a too-powerful third shot, and then chipped back short, reaching the green in four. Ward was already on in two. That was it. Stranahan didnt even play his next shot. He walked up to Ward, conceded the hole and shook, the slim young North Caro-** linians hand. Sends Cable Home to Folks A broad grin came over Wards face, and he said, "Well, thats it. I guess Ill send a cable to the folks." The crowd closed in, and Bobbies hoisted the golfers onto their shoulders to cart them through the admirers to the clubhouse. Ward put together seven birdies on his card, and showed the end of his early putting jitters by winning the 23rd with a canned 20-footer. Stranahan had only three birdies to go with his eagle. But the match certainly started like a dizzy see-saw. Stranahan conceded the first to Wards birdie when he overshot the green, but won the third when Ward missed an 18-inch putt for a bogey. Ward took the fourth when Stranahan drove into the river, but Stranahan. pulled back even on the fifth when Ward missed a two-footer for another bogey. Stranahan took the seventh when he was on in two while Ward was, trapped, but Ward went 1 up after the first nine by taking the eighth when he sank, a four-footer for a birdie and the ninth when Stranahans second shot bounded into the rough. Stranahan took a 1-up lead by winninB both the 10th — when his second shot land ed eight feet from the pin— and the 11th I — when he sank an 11-footer. But Ward I started a string of four straight on the I 14th. He won 14 with a birdie when he was I on in two and sank a 15-foot putt. He won I 15 at par four when Stranahan missed a I three-footer. He won 16 with another I birdie on a six-foot putt. And he won 17 I when Stranahan drove into the rough and I then lost his ball on his second shot. Ward now was away and winging." I He lost the 19th when he overshot the I green but took the next three straight. He I won 20 and 21 at par when Stranahan I missed a three-footer and then hooked his I tee shot. He won 22 with a birdie when he I went on in two, six feet from the pin for a I putt dead to the cup. He won 25 when I Stranahan hit a bunker and 26 when ■ Stranahan missed the green on his second I and third shots. That made Wards margin ■ 6 up with nine to to. I Stranahan won the 28th with a 15-foot I putt for a birdie, but Ward got it back on I the next hole by holing a 10-footer for a I birdie of his own. Stranahans eagle came on the 30th. He I used a No. 3 wood to put his second shot I eight feet from the pin, and he sank the I But the next hole was No. 31 — and thats I when Ward finished it off. I Stranahan smiled wanly, but was un- I daunted. "Ive got to catch a plane to- I night," he said. "Ive got to qualify for the I U. S. Open Monday." ■
