One of the South's finest amateurs finally crashed through to victory in the 45th annual Southern Amateur Golf Championship at Columbus (Ga.) Country Club.

Arnold Blum, appropriately tagged the Macon Stylist bv members of the golf writing fraternity, at 29 realized one of his greatest ambitions by defeating young Eddie Merrins of Meridian, Mississippi, in the 36-hole finals, 3 and 2.

The victory was a popular one, especially with, feIlow Georgians. They figured he was long over due for a major tournament success. Arnold does not play a heavy tournament schedule. He is more or less a business man golfer now, but his solid game is so tuned that he can step out most any time and hold his own with the game's best.

Only a week after the Southern, Arnold bowled over a very fine field to retain his Georgia State amateur crown. Later in the year he traveled to the round of sixteen in the National Amateur at beautiful Saucon Valley, Bethlehem, Pa.

Blum's victory was made all the more sparkling by the fact that he won out over a field generally conceded to be one of the strongest in the history of the Southern.

Arnold started his march toi the crown by qualifying comfortably with a 147. After battling off Key Scales, Jr., of Weirsdale, Florida, for a 1-up. opening round victory, the Macon ace handled the remaining five foes in true championship style.

The other opponents were disposed of thusly: Carroll Armstrong of Chattanooga, Tennessee, by 7 and 5; Jack Munger, Dallas, Texas, 7 and 5; Burgett Mooney, Jr., Rome, Georgia, 5 and 4; and Jack Key, Jr., Columbus, Georgia, 5 and 3 in the semi 'finals

In the championship round Blum was off to a fast start, holding a 4-up lead over his eighteen-year-old opponent at the end of nine. He was leading 3-up at 18 with an approximate medal score of 74, two over par for the course. He did better in the afternoon, shooting ever par on the first nine and was two under for the last seven holes when the match ended.

Merrins, a former National Jaycee Junior Champion and now a sophomore at Louisiana State University, played brilliant golf, especially in the first five rounds. The Meridian star defeated veteran Jack Bandy of Dalton, Georgia, on the 19th hole in round one. Elliott Waddell of Columbus, was a 3 and 2 victim in the second round and then Eddie made the gallery sit up and take notice by ousting one of the top tournament favorites, Herbert A. Durham of Dallas, Texas, 5 and 4. Durham, a powerful hitter, had captured the qualifying medal with 70-69- 139. Eddie polished off capable Gardner Dickinson, Jr., of Dothan, Alabama, next, 1-up and followed it with an 8 and 7 semifinal triumph over Bill Williamson, a University of North Carolina Golf team member from Charlotte, N. C.

The Texas team of Jack Munger (148), L. M. Crannell (148), Don January (140), and Herbert A. Durham (139) won the team title with a total of 575. The winners were presented the Bob Jones trophies formerly given to the Southern Four-Ball champions. The latter tournament has been discontinued.

Blum's triumph was the fifth time in the last six years that the championship has been won by a Georgia golfer.

George Hamer, Jr., of Columbus, won the first tournament after World War II at Birmingham Country Club in 1946. Atlanta's Tommy Barnes then beat Hamer in the finals of the 1947 championship at Audubon Country Club, Louisville. Another Atlantan, Gene Dahlbender, Jr., whipped Hamer in the finals in 1948 at Capital City Country Club, Atlanta.

Barnes came back to win his second crown at Biltmore Forest Country Club, Asheville, N. C., in 1949, but failed in his try for a third win in the '50 at New Orleans, losing to Dale Morey of Dallas, Texas, in the final round.

Morey was not eligible to defend at Columbus since he had moved out of the Southern Golf Association territory prior to the tournament.

The 1951 tournament attracted more good young golfers than any since the war. In addition to Merrins, Sam Morgan, 20 year old Vanderbilt University player, captured the championship consolation, defeating 16-year-old Don Bisplinghoff of Orlando, Florida, in 37 holes. Cecil Calhoun, of Columbus, another 16- year-old, won two matches, one from ex-champ George Hamer. Mason Rudolph, the former USGA junior king from Clarksville, Tennessee, won three matches. Gay Brewer, of Lexington, Kentucky, and Hillman Robbins of Memphis, Tennessee, were other sharp looking juniors to make the championship bracket.

These youngsters may be more of a problem than ever to the older players in the 46th annual championship at Knoxville's Holston Hills Country Club. If not there, watch out in Dallas in 1953.

Members and committeemen of Columbus Country Club went all out to help make the tournament an outstanding success. Jack Ellis, B. Ed Johnson and the other club officials drew lavish praise from the visiting players and SGA officials.

Match Play Results: