Golf Roundup : Spain’s Olazabal Earns Shot at Nicklaus in Match Play

Jose Maria Olazabal of Spain moved into a confrontation with Jack Nicklaus with a record-equaling performance Thursday in the opening round of the $270,000 World Match Play championships at Wentworth, England.

Winner of the European Masters title in his first year as a pro, the 20-year-old Olazabal beat Lanny Wadkins, 2 and 1. His prize was a second-round match against Nicklaus, winner of the Masters championship in April.

Olazabal’s performance against Wadkins included a back nine of 31, equaling the tournament record set by South African Gary Player in 1974 and matched by Australian David Graham in 1976.

Another Match Play newcomer, Japan’s Naomichi Ozaki, posted the most impressive victory, 7 and 6, over Ben Crenshaw.

In today’s second round, Ozaki will meet another of the game’s stars, Australian Greg Norman, the leading money winner on the 1986 U.S. circuit.

Jim Thorpe and Lon Hinkle shot five-under-par 65s at Columbus, Ga., to share the first-round lead in the $350,000 Southern Open as 73 players equaled or bettered par in the field of 154.

“That’s probably the best ball-striking round I’ve played in my life,” said Thorpe, who had six birdies over the par-70, 6,791-yard Green Island Country Club course. “I hit a lot of shots that hit very close to the flag and ran 6 to 8 feet. On the first 16 holes, my second shots all looked like they were going in the hole.”

Hinkle, who hasn’t won a tournament since 1979, also had six birdies and one bogey. The 65 was his lowest round of the year.