Golf Roundup : Bean Gets Help and Helps Himself to Two-Shot Lead

When Andy Bean arrived within sight of the leader board on the 18th fairway of the Tournament Players Club at Las Colinas in Irving, Tex., Saturday, he did a double-take.

“I was surprised to see I was leading,” Bean said. “I thought Bobby Wadkins was at least nine under.”

At one time, Wadkins was.

Wadkins, twice a playoff loser but not yet a winner in 12 seasons on the PGA Tour, twice holed out from off the green and at one time held a one-stroke lead in the third round of the $600,000 Byron Nelson golf tournament.

But Wadkins, who shot a four-under-par 66, had a bogey-bogey finish to hand the lead back to Bean--and he made the most of it.

Bean rapped in a 25-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole and stretched his lead to two strokes. Ahead by one shot after two rounds, Bean added a 67 and finished 54 holes at 201, nine under par.

“It’s nice to still have the lead,” Bean said. “At least, I don’t have to catch up. But tomorrow will not be a day when you can shoot 69 or 70 and win the golf tournament. One of those guys up there close is going to shoot 64 or 65.”

Five players--Wadkins, George Burns (who matched the competitive course record of 63), Craig Stadler (65), Mark Wiebe (68) and Payne Stewart (67)--were at 203 going into the final round of the chase for a $108,000 first prize.

West German Bernhard Langer (66) and Mark Hayes (68), the first-round leader, were at 204.

Bonnie Lauer saved par with a 12-foot putt on the 18th hole to retain sole possession of the lead after two rounds of the $250,000 Sleepy Hole tournament at Suffolk, Va.

Lauer shot a one-over-par 73 for a 142 total. One stroke back were Allison Finney and Lynn Connelly, who shot 71s. A bogey on the 18th cost Finney a share of the lead.

Six golfers were at 144--defending champion Kathy Whitworth, two-time winner Amy Alcott, Jan Stephenson, Sally Little, Debbie Massey and Amy Benz.

Bob Charles tied the course record with a seven-under-par 65 to grab a two-stroke lead heading into today’s final round of the Benson & Hedges PGA Senior tournament at San Antonio.

The southpaw from New Zealand, who has a 36-hole total of 132, birdied seven holes to equal the mark set by defending champion Don January last year. In second place was Bruce Crampton, who had a 67.

Dale Douglass shot a 69 and was third at 135.