Golf Roundup : Bob Charles Wins After Hill Falters

Bob Charles sank a 15-foot birdie putt on the third playoff hole Sunday to win the GTE Suncoast Seniors tournament, which finished in a four-way tie after regulation play at Tampa, Fla.

Charles closed with a six-under-par 66 for a 54-hole total of 207, nine-under par, and was tied with Harold Henning, Jim Ferree, and second-round leader Dave Hill.

By the third playoff hole, only Henning and Charles remained. After Henning missed his 15-foot birdie putt, Charles sank one from the same distance to win the $45,000 first prize.

Henning, Hill and Ferree each received $21,833.

Hill and Ferree were eliminated on the first playoff hole, the par-five 17th, both missing short birdie putts.

Less than an hour earlier, Hill came to the 17th with a four-stroke lead. It disappeared when he hit two balls into the water in front of the green and took a triple-bogey eight.

Ferree earned a place in the playoff with a course-record seven-under 65. Hill finished with a 70.

Doug Sanders, who began the day one-shot behind Hill, finished with a 70 and placed fifth at 208. Chi Chi Rodriguez shot a final-round 72 to finish sixth at 210 and Arnold Palmer was seventh at 211 with final round of 70.

Greg Norman shot a five-under-par 68 and scored a five-shot victory in the Australian Masters at Melbourne, Australia--his fifth victory in the event in nine years.

The Australian finished with a 72-hole total of 280, 12-under par, scoring four straight birdies from the 14th to 17th holes.

English amateur Russell Claydon finished second at 285 after a 75 in the final round, played in windy conditions.

Australian Bob Shearer, who led for most of the final round before stumbling in the final holes and finishing at 76, was tied for third at 286 with Craig Parry, also of Australia, who had a 72.

Norman earned $67,230 for his victory over the par-73, 6,955-yard Huntingdale layout.

His winning total was the second-lowest in the 11-year history of the event. Norman previously won the Masters in 1981, 1983, 1984 and 1987.

Shearer and Parry each earned $33,055.

Jack Nicklaus, who began the final round four shots off the pace, bogeyed the first two holes and shot a 77, finishing 11 strokes behind Norman.