M UIRFIELD and 1901 will take a prominent place in Scottish golf history for ever. Was it not on June 5th and 6th of the new century that Scotland reasserted herself? Not since 1893, when \V. Auchtcrlonie secured the title at Prestwick, had a Scotsman proved successful in the Open Championship. But on the opening of the new century James Braid, of Romford, succeeded in finishing at the head of the talent, and the title went over the Border once again.

Naturally I should have rejoiced exceedingly had the Open Championship fallen to my lot, or to the lot of a fellow-countryman; but regrets are useless, and it must be admitted that Braid played a great game, one of the greatest games of his life. He deserved his victory upon the form he displayed; and looked at from a dispassionate point of view, the holding of the title by a representative of any one country for a number of years in succession is not calculated to assist the forward march of the game in the slightest. A division of favours leads to the spirit of emulation being aroused, and so, next to winning the Championship myself, I am pleased that it went to Scotland, and especially to my old friend Braid.

As for the occasion itself, it was fair golfing weather, although a strong breeze on the first day bothered some of the competitors considerably. Prior to the start Mr. H. H. Hilton, Harry Vardon, Braid, and myself were favourites for the premier honours, but on the first round I think Vardon was followed by the largest "gallery." This did not disturb him in the slightest, and at one period it appeared probable that he would play a remarkably good round. This did not exactly happen, for his half round in was marred by a 6 at the eleventh green. He finished in 77, Braid's figures being 79 and mine the same.

In the second round Braid played a much better game, or, possibly, his strokes were not dogged by ill-fortune, and his 76 was the result of really sound, indeed wonderfully good golf, the score he returned being only four strokes above the record of the green which, considering the adverse circumstances, was a grand performance. Only one big hole, a 6, was played, and that was the second on the outward journey.

Vardon, though, had not quite maintained his earlier form, his round being accomplished in 78, which, however, placed him upon an equality with the ultimate winner. It was on the home green that he lost his chance of securing the lead, for a moderately easy putt was missed. As for myself, I will be contented by simply stating that my round totalled up to 83.

This being the condition of affairs as far as the leaders were concerned, excitement ran desperately high when the final day arrived. The weather was good, the crowd better, and superior to all was the play. Braid never lost his nerve, his driving was as strong as ever, and his short game remarkably good.

That he still remained favourite for first place was proved by the crowd that followed him when he started on his third round. He made no mistake, neither did he display any signs of weakness, for his first shot from the tee well-nigh carried the ball to the edge of the first green. Handling his wooden putter capitally, he ran up with the greatest accuracy, and the first hole fell to him in a 3.

His attack upon the second hole was not so successful, for slightly pulling his drive from the tee, he had a heavy lie from which to play. This made just a little difference, despite a capital stroke away to the right of the green, and as he failed to get down his putt, this hole required the playing of 5. Again going to the third hole, Braid overshot the mark and got into the rougher ground beyond the green. It was a somewhat difficult position to be in, but he extricated himself, pitched the ball dead, and got the hole in a 4.

At the fourth hole it looked as though Braid possessed a great chance for a 3, but it was spoilt by his failure to hole out, the ball just missing its objective by a hair's breadth. But he made no mistake with his next stroke, and another 4 was returned.

The long hole came next, and here Braid's mastery over the driver stood him in good stead at first, but his second shot planted him to the right of the bunker, not in the best of positions. It cost him an additional stroke, and he could do no better than 5, although the sixth hole was taken in 4. Indeed, he was well up in 2, but his third proved too strong, it being necessary to hole a long putt with his next.

More bad luck was experienced at the seventh, for after Braid had driven a long ball from the tee, everything pointed to the probability of a 3 being the result. It was not to be, however; the ball trembled, but lay on the edge of the hole, and yet another 4 remained to be written up. His fortune was the same at the eighth hole, for although his approach put him into a position to secure a long putt, again he failed to catch the edge of the hole by the merest shave, and so missed his 3.

At the ninth hole his ball stopped within an inch of the hole, but despite these drawbacks, his first half-round was finished in 3/. Going to the tenth hole, had he succeeded in a moderately difficult putt, he would have had a 3 in place of a 4, but his 4 for the eleventh was quite above the average merit Had Braid been a less powerful driver, he could not have got so near the green with his second, while his third carried him almost to the edge of the hole, and the final putt was all that remained to finish what was a splendid performance.

Braid's approach to the twelfth hole was of a somewhat too vigorous nature, and he had to pay the penalty, despite the best of his skill, with a 5. He almost succeeded in recovering himself, but no* quite, and his putt for the hole did not travel the. full distance necessary. At the thirteenth he found himself in a far from favourable lie after his drive from the tee, and although a good approach shot was seen on this occasion, it was a difficult putt that remained. Still, he succeeded in negotiating it successfully, while the same may be said concerning the short hole.