Andy Williams Open : George Burns Wins It All, but Doesn’t Leave Them Laughing

George Burns, the golfer, is easily distinguishable from George Burns, the comedian.

Burns, the golfer, is the one who often wears a long face and who has a tendency to get down on himself. His idea of a good time is riding an exercise bike and lifting weights.

Even on Sunday, his biggest day in golf, George Burns III seemed to fight the urge to smile broadly or say anything that might be described as amusing.

With two eagles in the last nine holes, Burns shot a final-round 65 for a tournament-record 22-under-par total of 266 and a four-stroke victory in the Shearson Lehman Brothers Andy Williams Open.

He earned a first-prize check of $90,000, which was about $13,000 more than his earnings for 1986, when he was handicapped by hand injuries and the nagging tendency to doubt himself.

J.C. Snead and Bobby Wadkins finished in a tie for second at 270.

There would have been a three-way tie for second, but Craig Stadler was disqualified as a result of a rules violation that came to light only after television replays brought phone calls from viewers wondering about the legality of a Saturday incident.

While playing the 14th hole en route to a third-round 71, Stadler had kneeled on a towel after his ball went under a tree. That was a violation of a new rule, and Stadler should have assessed himself a two-stroke penalty.

However, he was apparently unaware of the rule, and the incident went unnoticed until Sunday, when Stadler was disqualified, at a cost of $37,333.33, for signing an illegal scorecard Saturday.

The technicalities involved in the Stadler case were only a bit more complex than the rules governing the bonus money which Burns wound up sweeping.

Under the provisions of a special arrangement, the tournament sponsor was to award a $10,000 Treasury certificate to the golfer who posted the low round each day.

Burns collected all four certificates, which will be worth $200,000 upon maturity in 20 years. Posting a 63 Thursday, he had the low score in both the first and final rounds. Because there were ties for the low score on the other two days, the bonus certificates were carried over to the final day, and became the sole property of Burns.

Asked if he understood the complexities of the Treasury coupons, he quipped, “Yeah. It means my kids will be going to college.”

That was about the only witticism Burns allowed himself on a day when he gave thanks for surviving his worst enemy--himself.

“I’ve always been one to get down on myself,” he said. “I may be too hard on myself. I get the downs for too long. I should be able to just forget it, but the downs linger too much.

“The great players are the ones who can put that kind of stuff behind them and play the next week. Guys like Ray Floyd, Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson can shake the downs quicker than the rest of us.”

Burns had reason to be down on himself a year ago, when he won only $77,474, 112th on the money list.

He played in pain much of the year after an injury on the practice tee in May. His club caught a rope on a downswing, which caused a slight fracture of the thumb, and ligament problems in his fingers that got progressively worse as the year progressed.

Burns has embarked on an extensive program of treatment for his injuries and to improve his overall condition. He devotes about 40 minutes a day to lifting weights and riding a bike.

“I know you guys who cover other sports don’t think golfers are athletes, but the beer and late night days are over,” he said. “That’s not to say we are all prudes on the tour, but the compensation is too great (for all-night partying).

“I’m feeling a lot better as a result of all the work I’ve done. I think it helps to calm me down.”

Burns said he never felt tired during the tournament, even with Stadler and Floyd, among others, in pursuit.

Floyd and Stadler had moved two shots ahead of Burns on Saturday.

“Ray has caught me about three times in my career and I hoped to do it to him today,” Burns said. “I did.”

More than anything else, Burns seemed relieved when he came in out of the mist and fog Sunday afternoon.

“I was very lucky,” he said. “It was my day. Everything went right for me. I’ve had some dry spells, but this is the culmination for a lot of people who have helped me.”

Burns helped himself immensely with eagles on the 13th and 15th holes, which gave him a virtually insurmountable lead.

He made a 50-foot eagle putt at 13 and holed a 129-yard iron shot on 15.

“Those shots took the pressure off me,” he said.

With his fourth tour win, Burns may have taken more pressure off himself.

“The hardest thing for me is to believe I’m as good as I can be and want to be,” he said. “I hope this will catapult me to more wins.”