Linksmen Place Third in Ivy Tourney, Vik Pockets Ivy Crown in Walkaway

The golf team came into the Ivy golf tourney last Friday with two titles on the line, but after the 36-hole grind at the Springdale C. C. was over, although Alex Vik had successfully defended his Ivy crown, the Crimson had fallen to Princeton and Penn.

Last season's linksters thrashed the Tigers by 13 strokes in the first year of the tournament but the experienced Princeton squad proved too much on its home course, finishing 16 strokes ahead of the Crimson on Friday.

Vik, who was last year's medalist, once again humbled the 40-man field with back to back rounds of 69 and 70. He finished a full seven strokes ahead of the pack.

"It's Alex's tournament so far," said captain Scott McNealy, as Vik's repeat performance made him the only man ever to have his name etched onto the two foot piece of silverware he toted home.

Freshman Ron Himmelman carded rounds of 81, 79 while McNealy shot a "disappointing" 81,82. Number two man Spense Fitzgibbons came into the club house with a scorching two-over-par 73 but could only muster an 81 over his second 18-hole circuit.

Eight Ball

Fitzgibbons hacked his way to an eight on the last hole of competition, which proved a costly miscue considering the Quakers shaded the Crimson by only four strokes. "He just ran out of gas," McNealy said.

Vik wielded a deadly putter throughout the afternoon, snaking home transcontinental putts and ramming in ten-footers with reckless abandon. "Alex just kind of awed the field," said Bartlett. He was the only man to break par.

Penn's Tom Winkle was runner up to Vik. Jerry Daley of Dartmouth finished with a pair of 74's to tie for third with the Princeton duo of captain Don Foster and Bruce Samalkis. The 6 ft. 10 in. Samalkis was New England Junior Champion in 1973 while Foster had a 79.1 average for last year's 14-1 Tigers.

The linksters have another shot at Princeton this Thursday.