Golf Roundup : Spain Upset; U.S. Team Gains Semfinals

Third-seeded Spain and Severiano Ballesteros were ousted from golf’s richest tournament Friday, leaving the United States, Australia, Scotland and Wales chasing the $300,000 first prize at St. Andrews, Scotland.

Spain was upset by Wales, 2 1/2 to 1/2, with Ballesteros only managing to salvage a tie against unheralded David Llewellyn.

The top-seeded United States crushed New Zealand, 3-0, after an early alarm; Scotland, fourth seeded, beat Japan by the same score, and Australia eliminated England, 2-1.

In the semifinals of the inaugural $1.2-million tournament, Scotland will clash with the United States and Wales will meet Australia.

Left-hander Bob Charles of New Zealand tossed away a chance to put pressure on the Americans, squandering a two-stroke lead over Mark O’Meara with only two holes remaining. O’Meara finished with a 69 to Charles’ 70.

Raymond Floyd was leading Stuart Reese by only one stroke, but after O’Meara had clinched the win, the pressure was off, and Floyd won by three strokes.

In the other match, Curtis Strange shot a 67 to beat Frank Nobilo by eight strokes.

Scott Hoch mastered capricious crosswinds to shoot a five-under-par 66 and tie Gil Morgan for the lead at 133 in the second round of the $300,000 Pensacola Open at Pensacola, Fla.

With a 16- to 22-m.p.h. breeze causing many scores to soar, Morgan used an eagle and three birdies to shoot a 68 as he and Hoch passed first-round leader John Cook.

Cook, who opened with a 63 Thursday to take a two-stroke advantage, bogeyed three of the first four holes on the front side and shot a 71 on the 7,093-yard Perdido Bay course and is tied at 134 with Ronnie Black (69), Tim Simpson (69) and defending champion Bill Kratzert (68).

Jim Ferree shot a five-under-par 67 to take the lead in the first round of a $165,000 PGA Seniors golf tournament at Melbourne, Fla.

Ferree was one stroke ahead of Bob Toski, who bogeyed his last hole. Five players--Don January, Gay Brewer, Mike Fetchik, Bob Goalby and Charles Owens--were tied at 69.

Defending champion Lee Elder topped a group of four players at 70, including the tour’s leading money winner, Australian Peter Thomson. Arnold Palmer shot a 72.