At Los Angeles

In the Los Angeles district there are more women capable of playing championship golf than in any other section of the country. The U. S. Golf Association took full recognition of this fact in giving the women's national championship to the Los Angeles Country Club--a sharply trapped, rolling course with an annoying barranco and plenty of trees. The California women who had been paying their fares eastward year after year were to be given a chance at home. Nevertheless, impartial critics did not give them much chance against the little group of top-notch players from the East--National Champion Glenna Collett; broad-shouldered, jut-jawed Maureen Orcutt; chubby, thick-muscled Helen Hicks; Virginia Van Wie of Chicago.

Male golf stars generally run somewhere near true to form, but a distinguishing feature of women's competition is that the best players can never be depended on. Yet as play went smoothly on last week, it became evident that for once the expected upsets were not occurring. The top-notch players moved up without exception and the nearest thing to a surprise was when Mrs. Hill put out Maureen Orcutt in the quarterfinal. In the semifinal Miss Collett had her first real competition, but made it easy by winning the first three holes and outdriving Helen Hicks, said to be the longest-hitting woman alive. Miss Van Wie put out Mrs. Hill by being the steadier in a match in which neither was very steady. In the final, with a great crowd billowing over the course, Miss Van Wie played good golf all through, good enough to win if Miss Collett had not achieved a spiritual imitation of Bobby Jones. She had the calm, infuriating air of a player out for a couple of easy practice rounds. Miss Van Wie was only one down at the end of the first nine, but then Miss Collett made her imitation of Jones factual, turned in nine birdies and a spectacular eagle, won the match and her fifth national championship, 6 & 5.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.