Golf Roundup : Pohl Wins the World Series Almost by Default

Dan Pohl was waiting for someone to make a move at him, but it never happened.

So Pohl scrambled to a one-over-par 71 Sunday to win the World Series of Golf by one stroke over Lanny Wadkins at the Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio.

“We looked like Heckle and Jeckle, or Jeckyl and Hyde, out there,” said Pohl, who had a 72-hole total of three-under par 277. “I don’t know if anybody knew if they wanted to win the golf tournament.

“I just never felt comfortable. I was worried about Lanny the whole time.”

It was the second victory of the season for Pohl, 31, who collected $126,000. His 1986 earnings reached $440,563--more than double his previous best season.

Wadkins had a 72 and a total of 278, but didn’t get close until Pohl bogeyed the final hole.

“I played fairly well, but I missed too many birdie chances,” said Wadkins, who made $75,000. “The door was open, but I didn’t go in. I didn’t even knock.”

South African Bobby Cole had a 70 to take third at 279, and John Mahaffey bogeyed the final hole for a 71 to finish fourth at 280.

Donnie Hammond, tied for the lead with nine holes left, bogeyed five of the last seven holes for a 74, and tied for fifth at 281 with Andy Bean (66), Tim Simpson (65) and Australian Rodger Davis (71).

Masters champion Jack Nicklaus, only three shots back when the day started, saw his hopes for a sixth World Series title vanish when he bogeyed four holes in a row on the front nine, three-putting on three of them. He took a 73 that left him at 282.

PGA champion Bob Tway had a closing 70 and also was at 282, and British Open champion Greg Norman of Australia shot a 75 and tied for 20th at 286. He won $8,567 and completed his American PGA Tour season with a record $653,296.

U.S. Open champion Ray Floyd had a 74 and finished at 288.

Juli Inkster broke a tie with Patti Rizzo by making birdies on the 11th and 12th holes, and won the $225,000 Atlantic City tournament by three strokes at Galloway Township, N.J.

Inkster shot an even-par 71 in the final round for a 54-hole total of four-under-par 209 and took the first prize of $33,750.

Rizzo and Inkster were even at four-under-par after nine holes, but Rizzo bogied the 10th hole to put Inkster into the lead for good. After the birdie on No. 11, Inkster went four strokes ahead when she birdied No. 12 as Rizzo was taking another bogey.

Judy Dickinson shot 72 and finished third at 213.

Bobby Nichols and Curt Byrum set a tournament record of 39-under-par 249 to win the PGA Senior Tour’s $450,000 Showdown tournament at Jeremy Ranch, Utah.

The four-round score in the best-ball tournament was one stroke better than the previous record set by Don January and Mike Sullivan in 1984.

Nichols and Byrum beat the team of Harold Henning and Denis Watson by two strokes to win the top prize of $33,750.

“It’s was a long time coming,” said Nichols, 50. “It’s been 11 years since I won. I forgot what it was like.”

Bob Goalby and his nephew, Mike Haas, tied for third with Gary Player and his son, Wayne.

Jeff Wilson of Vallejo shot a final-round 67 to pick up his first professional victory in the 15th Queen Mary Open at Lakewood Country Club.

Wilson, 23, a graduate of University of the Pacific, had six birdies and virtually wrapped up the tournament with a four-under-par 32 on the front side to take a four-shot lead. He finished at 15-under par 273 and earned $12,000.

Steve Schroeder of Atherton was three shots back after a 68, and Dale Riley of Napa shot a 69 and finished third another stroke back.