Thin Legs

Thin Legs and Fat Legs trudged the golf hills. Sharp-faced Thin Legs was in his thirties; rubicund Fat Legs in his twenties. Thin Legs the wiry stylist, Fat Legs one of the most compact and well-oiled golfing units in the world. Where they walked, the sun had tarried long and close, until the hills steamed. They had walked, for miles, all others dropping. Thin Legs of Scotland, used to braw winds; Fat Legs of Georgia, fond of sweltering.

Each had stroked his ball 291 times in the four orthodox rounds of the national open championship played at Worcester, Mass.; had been congratulated on a gallant tie for first place by the men they had beaten--sleek Walter Hagen, grinning Gene Sarazen, slangy Leo Diegel, trim Johnny Farrell, husky Willie Mehlhorn, tired, chagrined, heartsick Cyril Walker, the deposed champion, to whom the title had brought little joy in the year he had held it. Now they were playing an extra 18 holes to decide it--Thin Legs Willie Macfarlane, Oak Ridge professional (Tuckahoe, N. Y.), and Fat Legs Robert T. Jones Jr., Atlanta amateur. It was, extra nervous strain and labor such as there was in 1923 between Jones (who won) and wee Bobby Cruickshank of Shackamaxon. Only more so.

They played their extra 18 holes; at the last green, Jones holed a 75. Six feet away from the cup lay Macfarlane's ball, in 74. Adjusting his schoolmaster spectacles, assuring Jones that 'he could never go another hole, he purled the putt in. The, tie still stood.

A situation unprecedented in U. S. open championships was resolved by officials, who ruled that another sweltering 18 holes must be played. Out they trudged, after cooling drinks and luncheon. People said: "Thin Legs cannot stand it. He will sweat and sicken. Here will count the beef of Fat Legs."

So it seemed. To the turn, it was Jones 35, Macfarlane 39. Then the play of Thin Legs became mechanical. "Click" at the 10th, and he had a two. "Click" at the 13th, another two. "Click" at the 15th, where Jones took six, and all was as it had been in the beginning.

Then on the 18th (the 108th of the tournament for those two) it was Macfarlane 72 and in the cup; Jones 71 and ten feet away, after a pitch from the pit. Fat Legs smiled, took his stance, struck his ball, missed by inches.

Instead of lingering to sign cinema contracts, touring engagements, news syndicate offers and other routine business of the modern open champion, Willie Macfarlane went back to Tuckahoe. He had some engagements to give lessons to the members of his club. Before he went, said he: "I feel that defeating Bobby Jones is a greater honor than winning two or three open championships."

What he meant by that was this: With an average 18-hole score of 74 1/12 for the 24 rounds of the last six U. S. open championships, Jones leads all other medal golfers of this country, amateur and professional, by a comfortable margin. Jones' nearest competitor is Walter Hagen, average 74 7/8

Scores: Macfarlane 74 67 72 78--291 (Extra rounds 75 72) *Jones 77 70 70 74--291 (Extra rounds 75 73) Farrell 71 74 69 78--292 *Ouimet 70 73 73 76--292 Sarazan 72 72 75 74--293 Diegel 73 68 77 78--296 Smith 73 79 72 73--299 Mehlhorn 78 72 75 76--301 Gallett 73 70 84 77--304 Hutchinson 78 78 79 71--306 Barnes 75 76 71 85--307 Kirkwood 81 73 82 79--315 Walker 81 73 80 82--316

*Amateur.