Lanny Wadkins Gets Break, Lead : A 69 in Clearing Weather Puts Him One Ahead of Stewart

Lanny Wadkins took advantage of a break in the weather Friday to birdie the last two holes, shoot a three-under-par 69, and move one stroke in front of Payne Stewart after 36 holes of the $600,000 Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

With his brother Bobby among the crowd of nearby challengers, Wadkins posted a two-day total of 137, seven under par. He has played rounds over Cypress Point and Spyglass Hill and moves on to Pebble Beach today in the tournament played over three courses on the Monterey Peninsula.

Heavy rains fell during the early hours of the second round, creating difficult conditions for early starters like Jack Nicklaus and Sandy Lyle.

But the sun came out about the time Wadkins and Stewart began their rounds.

Stewart, playing in the same group with Wadkins, shot his second straight 69.

“The rain had just about quit when we started our round,” Wadkins said. “The weather wasn’t really a factor as far as we were concerned except the course was awfully wet.

“The course played like a swamp.”

At 135 midway through the fourth event on this year’s Tour were Lyle and Isao Aoki--who were paired together for their round at Pebble Beach. Lyle shot a 71 and Aoki a 70. They played the first six holes in a pouring rain and Lyle, British Open champion two years ago, came away with a sore throat.

Next at 140 were Bobby Cole, Fred Couples and Bobby Wadkins, Lanny’s brother who has played for 13 years on the Tour and is still looking for his first victory. Bobby Wadkins is within $70,000 of becoming the second player to win $1 million on the tour without winning a tournament.

Bernhard Langer and John Cook were among those at 141. Defending PGA champion Bob Tway was at 143, as was Tom Sieckmann, whose 65 at Cypress Point was the tournament’s low round.

Nicklaus shot his second straight 72 for an even-par 144, sharing that spot with Tom Kite and last week’s winner Paul Azinger.

First-round leader Rex Caldwell shot a 78 fall to 145. Caldwell took a quadruple bogey eight at the final hole at Cypress Point when his second shot hit a tree and ricocheted into his caddy--costing him a two-stroke penalty.

“I’ve played really solid golf both days,” Lanny Wadkins said, “and I haven’t made any real long putts. If I start making a few then I’ll be in real good shape.”

Since Wadkins will play the final two rounds at Pebble Beach, he could have an advantage on many of the players.

He won the 1977 PGA title at Pebble Beach, beating Gene Littler in a sudden death playoff, and then challenged for the 1982 U.S. Open crown when that event was played on the Monterey Peninsula.

“I played well in the Open that year,” he said. “I was within a shot of the lead for the first seven or eight holes on the final day that year.

“I like Pebble the most out here. There are no tricks on that course. It is all in front of you.”

Wadkins, who missed the cut in his only previous tour appearance this year, is looking for his 16th tour victory after going winless in 1986. He won three tournaments the previous season and was named the tour’s player of the year for 1985.

In the team portion of the event, Wayne Levi and Jacky Lee had a two-shot lead after posting a two-day total of 19-under 125. Tom Kite and his father, Tom Kite, Sr., were alone in second at 127.

PEBBLE BEACH GOLF

AFTER 36 HOLES

THE LEADER Lanny Wadkins 68-69--137

THE FOLLOWERS Payne Stewart 69-69--138

Isao Aoki 69-70--139

Sandy Lyle 68-71--139

Danny Edwards 70-69--139

Bobby Cole 72-68--140

Fred Couples 70-70--140

Bobby Wadkins 69-71--140

THE NAMES Bernhard Langer 72-69--141

Bob Tway 72-71--143

Fuzzy Zoeller 73-70--143

Tom Watson 69-74--143

Jack Nicklaus 72-72--143

INSIDE

Because all of its invitations have already been made, it appears Seve Ballesteros won’t be able to play in the L.A. Open, though he would like to join the party. Randy Harvey’s story, Page 11.