Golf Roundup : Beck, at 26-Under, Lands in Heavyweight Company

On the same day, Chip Beck beat Lanny Wadkins, surpassed Lee Trevino and fell just short of Ben Hogan.

Beck shot an eight-under-par 64 in Sunday’s final round and took a 7-stroke victory in the USF&G; tournament at New Orleans with a 72-hole total of 262--26 under par.

With a chance to tie the PGA Tour record of 27-under-par, set by Hogan 43 years ago in the Portland Open, Beck left a 10-foot birdie putt short on the final hole.

“I’m a little disappointed I left it short,” Beck said. “(But) how can I be disappointed? To come through like this, it’s overwhelming.”

Beck had rounds of 69, 64, 65 and 64 to break Trevino’s tournament record of 267 set in 1974.

The victory was worth $135,000 and lifted Beck, whose first Tour victory came earlier this year at the L.A. Open, into second place on the season’s money-winning list behind Masters champion Sandy Lyle with $484,465.

Wadkins shot a 68 and finished a distant second at 269.

Rosie Jones birdied the 72nd hole to pull into a tie for the lead with Kathy Postlewait, then birdied the first playoff hole to win the $225,000 USX tournament at Gulfport, Fla.

Jones, who had a 70, and Postlewait, who shot 69, finished regulation play at 13-under-par 275.

Barbara Bunkowsky took the lead with a front-nine 32, but had bogeys at 15 and 16 to finish with a 69 for a 277.

Gene Littler birdied the final two holes and Chi Chi Rodriguez recovered from a double-bogey on No. 15 as the United States held off the Internationals to win the $600,000 Chrysler Cup Seniors tournament, 55-45, at Sarasota, Fla.

The United States, which entered the final round with a big lead, got enough points to win when Littler beat Peter Thomson of Australia by one stroke, Rodriguez downed Roberto De Vicenzo of Argentina by a shot and Billy Casper edged Christy O’Connor of Ireland by one stroke.

Each match was worth five points to the winner.