GOLF SHARK SHOOTOUT : Wadkins, Purtzer Lead by 7 Shots

Lanny Wadkins and Tom Purtzer could lose the $1 million Shark Shootout today.

It is possible that with a 7:40 a.m. tee time they could blow their seven-stroke lead in the final round by oversleeping.

Otherwise, Wadkins and Purtzer are as likely to win the $250,000 first prize as Arnold Palmer is to get applause or Chi Chi Rodriguez is to crack a joke.

All they have to do is show up.

Wadkins and Purtzer virtually put the tournament away Saturday with a round of seven-under-par 65 in the alternate-shot format, with Purtzer repeatedly cracking long and short irons to the pins and Wadkins consistently making the putts.

Combined with their opening-round 61 in a best-ball format, the two have an 18-under-par 126, despite two days of blustery winds at the Sherwood Country Club course in Thousand Oaks.

And today they will play a scramble format in which both team members hit a drive, then play the next shot from the better of the two positions. For professional golfers, the format is seldom played, and it gives them license to steal.

“I can’t imagine how low a score we can shoot Sunday,” Wadkins said. “The record here for a scramble is 58. I know because I did it with Ben Crenshaw last year.”

That should give the other 18 players in the unique tournament a lot of hope for today.

Mark O’Meara and Steve Elkington are the closest challengers, seven strokes behind at 133 after a round of 69 Saturday. Greg Norman, the tournament founder and host, teamed with Jack Nicklaus for a 66 Saturday. They are tied with the teams of Steve Pate and Hale Irwin and Tom Kite and Davis Love III at 134.

O’Meara and Elkington have not given up hope. But they also know that the second-place team will earn $140,000.

“They just played beautiful golf,” Elkington said. “They were just flawless. There is an enormous amount of ground to make up in one day.”

And from his teammate, O’Meara: “Let’s just say I don’t like our chances very much. I’m not giving up, but if they shoot nine under tomorrow--and they very well might--then what do we have to shoot?’

A 56--to tie.

Wadkins and Purtzer said they won’t relax, especially with a scramble format.

“In the scramble, these other guys will just be going for broke,” Wadkins said. “These guys will try to shoot a zero. And some of them might. You never know. We certainly won’t let up.”

Wadkins made birdie putts on the third, fourth and fifth holes Saturday.

The two traded duties on the eighth hole with Wadkins hitting his tee shot on the par-three, 232-yard hole to within 12 feet of the cup and Purtzer making the birdie putt. Wadkins birdied No. 9, and they made the turn with a five-under-par 31 that for all intents put the tournament away.

They gave a stroke back with a bogey on the 11th hole, but closed with a surge, carding birdies on the 14th, 16th and 17th holes. It could have been worse for those chasing them. Wadkins’ 20-foot putt for eagle on the par-five 16th missed the cup by two inches, forcing them to settle for the tap-in birdie.

Palmer and Peter Jacobsen shot a 70 on Saturday and are 12 strokes off the lead. Rodriguez and Chip Beck stumbled to a 74 and were at 140, 14 off the pace, followed by Crenshaw and Bruce Lietzke at 141.

Curtis Strange and Billy Andrade were at 135 and Raymond Floyd and Fred Couples were at 137.

The tournament benefits Ronald McDonald Children’s Charities.