Golf Roundup : Floyd Easily Advances Despite Walking Off Course After Only 17 Holes

Raymond Floyd picked up his golf ball after 17 holes, put it in his pocket and walked in from the golf course Thursday--but he still qualified for second-round play in the new $1-million International tournament at Castle Rock, Colo.

“What difference does it make?” the U.S. Open champion asked on the second day of first-round play.

The answer was that it didn’t matter at all. But it will today. They’re changing the rules.

Under the modified Stableford scoring system--10 points for a double eagle, 5 for an eagle, 2 for a birdie, zero for a par, minus 1 for a bogey and minus 3 for a double bogey or worse--Floyd’s total reached 14 when he dropped an 18-foot eagle putt on No. 17.

And when play was suspended due to an approaching thunderstorm, Floyd simply decided to take the maximum penalty on the final hole--minus three points, reducing his total to 11--and call it a day.

His action, however, resulted in a ruling by PGA Tour Commissioner Deane Beman that, through the remainder of the tournament, players will be required to complete their rounds.

Patty Sheehan, who lost the World Championship of Women’s Golf tournament last year in a playoff, shot a five-under-par 67 to take a two-stroke lead in the first round of this year’s tournament at Lake Lanier Islands, Ga.

Betsy King, winner of last week’s Henredon tournament, and Chris Johnson were tied for second place in the 12-player field.

Ayako Okamoto of Japan and Val Skinner were at 70; Mary Beth Zimmerman was at 71; Pat Bradley, this year’s leading money winner, was at 72, and defending champion Amy Alcott, Juli Inkster, Jane Geddes and Nancy Lopez were at 73.

The field includes the top 11 money winners on this year’s LPGA Tour plus Lopez, the 1985 money-winning champion.

Sue Ertl, struggling through a tough year on the LPGA Tour, shot a five-under-par 67 to take a three-stroke lead in the first round of the $200,000 MasterCard International Pro-Amateur at Elmsford, N.Y.

Lynn Connelly and Melissa Whitmire were tied for second.

Louis Brown of Newman, Ga., retained the lead in the California State Open with a 54-hole total of 208 at the Mission Hills Country Club in Palm Desert.

Brown, who shot a 74, held a one-stroke edge over Dave Hobby of Santa Ana and Chris Starkjohann of Fallbrook. Hobby had a 71 and Starkjohann a 66.

Mike Allen of Hillsborough shot a 72 for a 212 and fourth place.

Mark James and Gordon Brand Jr. of England shot seven-under-par 65s to share a one-stroke lead in the first round of the $ 270,000 Benson and Hedges International at Fulford, England. Five players, including Lee Trevino, were at 66.