Golf Roundup : Bobby Wadkins Shoots 67 and Leads by One in Miami

Bobby Wadkins shot a five-under-par 67 Thursday to take a one-stroke lead in the first round of the $1-million Doral/Ryder Open golf tournament at Miami.

His round, completed late in the afternoon, lifted him ahead of four players--including Jack Nicklaus--who were tied at 68.

“I just want to see how long I can keep the Wadkins name on top of the leaderboard,” he said.

Wadkins, a non-winner in 14 seasons on the PGA Tour, is the brother of the tournament’s defending champion, Lanny Wadkins.

Nicklaus, who hasn’t won since the Masters in 1986, used a metal driver in competition for the first time and said it was responsible for his strong play on the Blue Monster course at the Doral Country Club.

“I wouldn’t be here if I’d used my old driver,” said Nicklaus, winner of a record 18 major professional titles.

Nicklaus was tied with PGA champion Larry Nelson, Tom Kite and Chip Beck, who scored his first win in the Los Angeles Open.

Greg Norman, one of the world’s top-ranked players, and four other golfers earned a share of the lead twith five-under-par 67s in the first round of the $200,000 Tournament Players Championship at Sydney, Australia.

Joining Norman in the lead were Australians Peter Senior, Wayne Riley and Lucien Tinkler, and Swede Leif Hederstrom.

Hollis Stacy and Marci Bozarth shot four-under-par 68s to share the first-round lead in the $300,000 Women’s Kemper Open at Princeville, Hawaii.

Connie Chillemi, Chris Johnson, Vicki Fergon and Laura Hurlbut were next with 69s.