Golf Roundup : Wadkins-Floyd Team Gives Americans Lead in Ryder Cup

A two-victory performance by Lanny Wadkins and Raymond Floyd thwarted a British-European comeback try and gave the United States a one-point lead, 4 1/2-3 1/2, Friday in the Ryder Cup golf matches at Sutton Coldfield, England.

“I don’t have any fingernails left. I’ve chewed ‘em all off,” said Lee Trevino, the American non-playing captain, who at one point faced the prospect of a 4-0 European sweep of the afternoon four-ball matches.

That, however, was averted when Craig Stadler and Hal Sutton halved their better-ball match with Bernhard Langer of West Germany and Jose-Maria Canizares of Spain.

That left the matches even at 3 1/2 points for each team with one game still out--Floyd and Wadkins vs. Sam Torrance of Scotland and Howard Clark of England.

Wadkins holed a wide-breaking, 25-foot birdie putt on the 16th hole to give the Americans the lead, and they brought it home with a couple of pars to win, 1 up.

First-round leader Jim Colbert, shot a three-under-par 69 to share the second-round lead of the $300,000 Greater Milwaukee Open with little-known pro Jeff Sanders, who had a second-round 67.

Colbert, 44, and Sanders, a 29-year-old nonwinner on the tour from Oregon, were at 135 after two rounds on the Tuckaway Country Club in Franklin, Wis.

Australian Peter Thomson, the leading money-winner on the Seniors Tour, shot a three-under-par 69 for a two-shot lead in the first round of the $250,000 United Virginia Bank tournament at Richmond.

Tied for second were Arnold Palmer, Orville Moody, defending champion Dan Sikes and George Lanning.

A 15-foot putt paused on the lip of the cup, then fell in for a birdie on the 18th green to give Alexandra Reinhardt the lead in the $200,000 Safeco tournament at Meridian Valley Country Club in Kent, Wash.

Reinhardt, winless in 11 seasons on the LPGA tour, shot a 71 for a 138 total, one better than another nonwinner, LeAnn Cassady of Long Beach, who had a 69.