Golf Roundup : Bean’s Lead Shrinks, but He Wins by a Stroke

Andy Bean turned a potential runaway into a dramatic finish Sunday but still fired a two-under-par 68 that gave him a one-stroke victory over Mark Wiebe in the $600,000 Byron Nelson tournament at Irving, Tex.

The victory was Bean’s second of the year, the 11th of his career, and entitled him to $108,000 which sent him to the top of the PGA money leaders’ list this year with $380,304.

Bean began the final round with a two-stroke lead, but seven players were within three shots of him. He increased his advantage to four shots midway through the final nine holes after shooting a 32 on the front nine at the Tournament Players Club at Las Colinas.

However, Bean’s lead began to shrink when he missed an 18-inch putt for par at No. 14 and bogeyed No. 17 when he had trouble in a bunker on the par-3 hole.

Bean parred No. 18 for a four-round total of 269, 11-under par.

Wiebe, who made a 25-foot putt on No. 17 for a birdie and then almost chipped in for a tie on No. 18, shot a 67 to finish second at 270. He won $64,000.

Bobby Wadkins, who has played on the professional tour for 12 years but never won, was alone in third at 273.

Gene Sauers, first-round leader Mark Hayes, Craig Stadler and Payne Stewart were tied for fourth at 274.

Muffin Spencer-Devlin, who refused to look at the leader board because it “only adds pressure” shot a three-under-par 69 to win the $250,000 Sleepy Hole women’s tournament by one shot at Suffolk, Va.

It was Spencer-Devlin’s first LPGA tour victory of the year and second of her career.

The victory earned Spencer-Devlin $37,500 after she shot two-under-par 214 for 54 holes.

Spencer-Devlin, 32, said she was not aware that she was in the lead until after she missed a birdie putt on No. 18 and turned to look at the leader board.

“For me, all I want to worry about is how I’m playing,” Spencer-Devlin said. “After I finished 18, I stayed in the (players’) tent because I didn’t want to go out and be signing autographs and talking to people. I wanted to stay calm, figuring I’d probably end up in a sudden-death playoff.”

First-year player Jody Rosenthal, Barb Thomas and Debbie Massey finished tied for second at 215.

Massey was Spencer-Devlin’s chief challenger on the closing holes. She teed off on No. 17 tied with Spencer-Devlin, but bogeyed the hole.

At the Benson and Hedges Invitational Seniors tournament at San Antonio, Tex., Bruce Crampton sank a 25-foot birdie putt on No. 17 to ensure a two-stroke victory over Bob Charles.

Crampton finished the final round with a four-under-par 68 for a 54-hole total of 202, 14 under par. He won $37,500.

Charles, who led after the second round, shot a 72 and finished at 204 after missing two short par-saving putts.

Doug Sanders, Gary Player and Dale Douglass, who was the leader after one round, tied for third at 207.

Crampton and Charles were tied until No. 16, when Charles gave Crampton a one-stroke lead by missing a four-foot putt for par.

Crampton birdied No. 17, while Charles missed a three-footer to save par.

“I was very fortunate,” Crampton said. “I played well, but I didn’t hit as well as I have the past couple days. I attribute some of that to tiredness. I got to bed late last night.”