Golf Roundup : Mudd Gets Out of Rain Ahead by 5

Jodie Mudd retained his lead Saturday in the twice-delayed Texas Open, even though he didn’t complete the third round at San Antonio, Tex.

Mudd, playing in the last group and seeking his first PGA Tour victory, was among 15 players--including most of the leaders--who were stranded on the Oak Hills Country Club course when the second delay in play occurred early in the evening. Play was called off for the day 35 minutes later.

Mudd and the others who were unable to complete 18 holes marked their positions on the course and will return this morning to finish the third round and then go into the final round.

Mudd, four strokes clear of the field after two rounds, clipped another couple of shots off par and was five strokes ahead when play was abandoned for the day.

He was two under par for the third round after 14 holes and 13 under par for the tournament.

John Mahaffey and Mark Hayes were tied for second at eight under par for the tournament. Mahaffey was four under par for the third round through 15 holes, and Hayes was one under par through 13 holes.

Rookie Steve Jones and Ken Brown, a European Ryder Cup player from Scotland, were another stroke back at seven under par. Brown was four under par after 15 holes, Jones one under par through 13.

Defending champion Severiano Ballesteros of Spain and Bernhard Langer of West Germany will replay the final of last year’s World Matchplay championship today at Virginia Water, England, after scoring 36-hole semi-final victories.

Langer beat South African Denis Watson, 2 and 1. Ballesteros scored a 4-and-2 win over Andy North, the U.S. Open champion.

Ballesteros defeated Langer, 2 and 1, in last year’s final.

Billy Casper and Don January each shot a four-under-par 100 in the opening 27-hole round of the $160,000 Unionmutual Seniors tournament at Port Elizabeth, Maine.

Gene Littler and Peter Thomson were one stroke off the pace, and Bob Goalby and Gay Brewer were two strokes back, one shot ahead of Ken Still and Bob Toski.