The Navy's Amateur

One of the toughest of all golf titles to defend is the National Amateur; in 40 years only two golfers, Bobby Jones (1924-25, 1927-28) and Lawson Little (1934-35), have done it successfully. Last week, at the Oklahoma City Country Club, G.O.P. Congressman Jack Westland, 48, of Everett, Wash., the 1952 winner, set out to defend his crown from 200 topflight amateurs. He found the pressure as heavy as ever. Westland lasted only until the third round.

Other big names went down in the scramble. Frank Stranahan, regarded by some as the top U.S. amateur, was beaten by a 39-year-old Sunday golfer. British Amateur Champion Joe Carr was put out; so were Charles Coe and Sam Urzetta, onetime U.S. amateur champs. Two relatively little-known golfers survived to reach the finals: Dale Morey, 32, an Indianapolis salesman who won this year's Western Open; and Gene Littler, 23, a member of this year's Walker Cup team and currently a Navy storekeeper on leave from San Diego.

Playing some of the best golf of their lives, Littler and Morey fought it out evenly for 18 holes. Then Navyman Littler opened up a three-hole lead, and the gallery was about to concede him the match. But not Morey. Sighting his putter like a rifle, addressing his ball innumerable times before trying a shot, he put on a rousing spurt. He took the 28th hole to cut Littler's lead to two up, birdied the 34th and 35th to win two more and draw even with just one hole to go. But there his luck ran out. On the par-four last hole, Morey hit a trap, was on the green in three. The Navyman made it in two. As cool as ice, Gene Littler lined up a 20-ft. putt, briskly stroked it to the pin to become the new king of U.S. amateurs.

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