Short Circuit

This week all the world could see to what a well-chewed pulp golf's famed grapefruit circuit has been reduced. Instead of some two dozen juicy tournaments with $155,000 in prize money, the tour that has helped to develop U.S. pros into the world's greatest golfers will include this year only two: the $5,000 Miami Open and the $5,000 Pinehurst North & South.

"Gas rationing is what really hurt us," wailed Tournament Manager Fred Corcoran, longtime booster of the Professional Golfers Association. "We couldn't guarantee that our leading players would appear at any set place or time and clubs are reluctant to schedule tournaments under those conditions."

For the Miami Open, only half the usual cast showed up last week. Among the missing were four of the tour's annual headliners: Ben Hogan, leading low-scorer the past three years (now a civilian aviation student); Byron Nelson, always close on his heels (denied his plane transportation from Texas at the last moment); Sam Snead, most idolized of U.S. pros (now a third-class seaman in the Navy); and Craig Wood, National Open champion (now a captain in the Marines).

But the lesser characters, rehearsing for this one performance for weeks, put on a good show. Veteran Harold McSpaden's winning total of 272 (67-70-69-66) was only three strokes higher than Byron Nelson's winning score over the same course last year. Runner-up was Johnny Revolta with 276.

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