Show Cocky Spirit Favors Von Van Elm In National 11 I AW 5 By JIMMY POWERS NEW V eJE YORK July 30 our Our truculent L N lent blond national amateur golf gol champion the lad ad with the lace face of a a. swank s ank Prussian hauptman hauptman oh yes it is its it's George Von Elm has Elm has what the boys bos would quaintly term a aswell aswell aswell swell chance to repeat He will defend his title in the thir- thir first y-first competition of the event ent Au Au- August August August gust 22 to 28 at the club Minneapolis Minn Conceding that a golf champion champion- championship ship is 15 always more or less l ss of a lot- lot lotery lottery tery ery this writer would rather see the name of Von Elm on oct his ticket than that of any any other contestant save only the incomparable Bobby Jones And heres here's why shy The The Utah Utah Tiger who iwho has made Los Angeles his pres pres- present present present ent base of operations is tickled at athe atthe atthe the he prospect of competing at Mini Mini- the 1927 battleground It was here that a brother westerner west debo- debo debonair nair Chick Evans of Edgewater won the he national open with the lowest 72 12 7 hole lole aggregate ever er compiled This course favors the accurate Iron play pla- player er rather than the homeric driver SMART S WITH IRONS If you can think of ofa a crisper smart smart- smarter er Iron played among the amateurs than han Chick Evans It must be George Von Elm Both hit their irons with a a. punch and poise usually associated only with crack professionals Then again this champ of ours with the Jaw get hep to that one Mr Tunney Is a fighter and fighters with with the exception of one Jess Sweetser are arc scarce among the current c t flock floel of placid amateurs Von Elms Elm's motto is te go so get gt S 'S t em Like Marshal MArshaI Foch he believes in carrying war relentlessly to his enemy That's how he earned his sobriquet Tiger of the Links Match play is isa Isa isa a fighters fighter's game Brazen nerve is al almost al- al almost almost most as much to be desired as per per- perfection perfection perfection of technique And now tate take a squint at a t the re repeaters re- re repeaters pesters in national amateur champ champ- champIonships championships Walter Travis Jerry Trav- Trav Travers Travers ers and Chick Evans were cocky determined fellows Travis was the dour grim relentless type High strung keyed faulty Travers Traves was a fighter tco albeit of a different type He once sneaked into a champion champion- championship championship championship ship at Garden City L. L 1 J. J qualify qualify- qualifyIng qualifying ing by the bare margin of one one stroke I and then went on to win the title He threw away his to do it All he he needed was a a. stout driving Iron tron a mashie a putter ter and a swig of good Scotch whisky His fighting spirit did the rest FINE FI E GOLFER Von Elm has been marked for great things on the links The man Is Isso Isso isso so obviously a golfer goiter His cocky self assertion hasn't made him hint popular popular lar Jar with certain opponents who lack that quality Some claim he is too aggressive too domineering in speech and action But Von Elm has the shots and better still the ability to bring them off under pressure Weak- Weak kneed opponents usually resent a forceful personality Timid match players have ha been frightened by Von Elms Elm's bravado But experience has mellowed him a trifle without how how- however ever extinguishing the combative flame Here Is a man who honestly believes he can beat any amateur at match play That is i what carried him to toa toa toa a glorious triumph over Bobby Jones The man has to be shown You cannot trim Von Elm on pa paper p per pe PC so li for so for the te sake uke of this story at least least least-he he will still rule nile as champion |