Golf Roundup : Nelson Makes It a 3-Way Tie in World Series

Larry Nelson had five birdies on the final seven holes Saturday en route to a 4-under-par 66 and a three-way tie with Ian Baker-Finch of Australia and Mike Reid after three rounds of the $900,000 World Series of Golf at Akron, Ohio.

Nelson birdied the last three holes for a tournament-record-tying 30 on the back nine and a 54-hole total of 4-under-par 206 on the 7,136-yard Firestone Country Club South course.

Baker-Finch and Reid, who shared the second-round lead, each had 71s. Baker-Finch lost a three-shot lead at one point and bogeyed 4 of the final 10 holes. Reid had a two-shot advantage before taking a waterlogged double-bogey on the 16th hole and a bogey on the 17th.

One shot back was Tom Watson, Masters champion Sandy Lyle of Scotland and Mark McCumber. Watson, the 1980 World Series winner, and Isao Aoki of Japan each had 64s, the low rounds of the tournament to date. McCumber had a 66 and Lyle a 71.

Only 8 of 42 players were under par. Ben Crenshaw was at 208, and Chip Beck had a 209, while Lanny Wadkins was the lone entrant at even-par 210. First prize is worth $162,000 and carries a 10-year PGA Tour exemption.

The 64s by Watson and Aoki are the lowest third-round scores in the history of the World Series. Both shot 32-32 and tied the single-round record of eight birdies set by Denis Watson of Zimbabwe in the second round en route to a 1984 victory.

Rosie Jones, wearing a special belt to brace her ailing lower back, shot a 6-under-par 66 and vaulted into a five-shot lead after three rounds of the 16-player $265,000 Ladies Professional Golf Assn. World Championship at Buford, Ga.

Jones, making her first appearance in the prestigious event, closed with five birdies on the last seven holes to finish at 11-under-par 205 for 54 holes.

Her nearest pursuer, Nancy Lopez, shot a 71 and was at 210. Patty Sheehan (68), Sherri Turner (70) and defending champion Ayako Okamoto (73) were tied for third place at 211.

Phil Blackmar came back to the field with a three-putt bogey-5 on the 18th hole, falling into a four-way tie for the lead with Payne Stewart, Jim Dent and Bill Britton after 54 holes of the $450,000 Provident tournament at Chattanooga, Tenn.

The bogey left Blackmar with a round of 1-under-par 69 and a 54-hole score of 11-under-par 199 on the Valleybrook Golf and Country Club course.

Stewart and Dent both had rounds of 67. Britton, who shot a 63 Thursday to share the first-round lead, came in with a 66.

Bill Bergin, Roy Biancalana, Mark Lye and Jim Hallett were next at 201.

Joan Pitcock, the youngest player on the LPGA tour, matched the lowest score of the year, a 9-under-par 63, as she surged into first place in the $150,000 Ocean State Open at Cranston, R.I

Pitcock, a Fresno resident who turned 21 last month, was at 6-under-par 138, two shots ahead of Sandra Palmer (69), Martha Nause (67) and Cindy Mackey (70) entering today’s final round.

Dick Hendrickson, trying to become the first alternate to win a senior tournament, made eight birdies and moved into a tie for the lead with Bob Charles at 11-under-par 129 after two rounds of a $250,000 event at Lexington, Ky.

It was the lowest 36-hole total posted on the PGA Seniors Tour this year.

Bob Erickson was three shots back.

Hendrickson, who entered the tournament when 1985 champion Lee Elder dropped out with a wrist injury, shot a 5-under-par 65. Charles, who enjoyed a one-stroke lead after matching the course record of 63 Friday, had a 66, making up three strokes on the final two holes with consecutive birdies while Hendrickson was bogeying No. 17.