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The year 1953 proved a great one for Ben Hogan. The Ft. Worth, Tex., professional regained the United States open championship honours and became one of three players ever to win this title four times. Hogan won at the Oakmont Country club, near Pittsburgh, Pa., with a 72-hole score of 283, after leading in the first round with a 67. Sam Snead was second with 289 and Lloyd Mangrum next with 292. Thus Hogan won a crown that went to Julius Boros in 1952 and which Hogan previously had captured in 1948, 1950 and 1951. The only others to have accomplished such a feat were Willie Anderson, the Scottish-born professional, in the early years of the 20th century, and Bobby Jones, famed Atlanta, Ga., amateur, who scored his "grand slam" in 1930. Hogan's success followed his victories earlier in the year in the Masters tournament, at Augusta, Ga., the Pan-American open at Mexico City, Mex.. and the Colonial invitation at Ft. Worth. Urged to compete in the British open, Hogan finally entered the championship which he previously had omitted from his tournament campaigns, at Carnoustie, Scot. Hogan, who had set a scoring record in the Masters of 274, triumphed in his first British invasion with a 68 in the last round for 282. Tied for second were amateur Frank Stranahan of the United States, Dai Rees of Wales, Peter Thomson of Australia and Antonio Cerda of Argentina at 286. Only Jones and Gene Sarazen had previously won both the United States and British opens in the same year.
The triumphs of Hogan and the interest shown in golf by Pres. Dwight D. Eisenhower, an enthusiastic player, were high lights of an interesting year. In international competitions, both the amateur and professional teams of the United States turned back the British. The United States won the Walker cup at Marion, Mass., by a score of 9 to 3 as Jack Westland, 1952 amateur champion, Ken Venturi, Gene Littler, Dick Chapman, Don Cherry, Sam Urzetta, Bill Campbell, Harvie Ward, James Jackson and Char-lie Coe, under nonplaying captain Charles R. Yates, triumphed for the 13th victory in the biennial series In October the United States professionals retained the Ryder cup against the British side at Virginia Water, Eng., by a narrow 6 1/2 to 5 1/2 margin. The United States played without Hogan, who earlier declined the invitation, in keeping with his limited tournament schedule, and Mangrum acted as captain with Ted Kroll, Jack Burke. Walter Burkemo, Cary Middlecoff, Sam Snead, Jim Turnesa, Ed Oliver, Fred Haas and Dave Douglas comprising the squad. The British amateur, won in 1952 by Harvie Ward of Atlanta, went to Joe Carr of Dublin, Ire., as the Irishman beat Ward in the final at Hoylake by 2 up. The women's British amateur cup crossed the seas to Canada, 19-year-old Marlene Stewart of Fronthill. Ont., being the winner. Lew Worsham, professional at the Oakmont Country club out-side Pittsburgh, gained national attention by winning the $25, 00o first prize of the Tam O'Shanter "world's championship" Chicago. Ill. A sensational eagle 2 at the final hole, where Worsham sham sank his approach, proved the climax. Since this was televised and the unusual shot by Worsham was viewed large numbers of television viewers, the feat received tremendous notoriety. Worsham, who triumphed with 278 as a result, ing Chandler Harper who had 279, finished as the year's leading professional money winner, with winnings approximately $33.800. In the ranks of women professional golfers, Louise Suggs Carrollton, Ga., had the most successful year of any woman com- petitor by winning $19,816.25. Miss Suggs did not cling to open honours which she won in 1952. The United States association, acting as a new sponsor to the women's open a pionship, staged the event at Rochester, N.Y. The winner proved to be Betsy Rawls of Spartanburg, S.C., after a play with Jacqueline Pung of Honolulu, T.H., the United S. amateur champion of 1952, who had quit the amateur Both players tied at 302 after 72 holes, but in the play-off Rawls tallied a 71 to Mrs. Pung's 77 to win. The Professional Golfers association championship was at Birmingham, Mich., and Walter Burkemo of Detroit, defeated Felice Torza of St. Charles, Ill., 2 and 1 in the Torza being a former Connecticut amateur. The men's United States amateur title was won by Littler, 23-year-old navy man serving at San Diego, Calif. tier, former junior star and Walker cup player, defeated Dale Morey of Martinsville, Ind., in a close final, 1 up, at Okla Oklahoma City (Oklahoma) Golf and Country club.
Mary Lena Faulk of Thomasville, Ga., carried off the en's amateur trophy after defeating Polly Riley, Ft. Worth the final, 3 and 2, at the Rhode Island Country club, West rington, R.I. Among other noteworthy items was the return tournament play of Mildred (Babe) Didrikson Zaharias, former champion and all-round athlete, after an operation for cancer.
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