Thompson Sets a Senior Record With Comeback

Rocky Thompson had 10 birdies in a record-tying round of 61 Sunday to post the biggest comeback in Senior PGA Tour history, a one-stroke victory over Raymond Floyd in the GTE Suncoast Classic at Lutz, Fla.

Thompson started the final round seven strokes behind second-round leader Mike Hill. He had five birdies on each side to equal the lowest round ever on the tour.

Lee Elder and Jim Colbert are the only other seniors to shoot 61.

Thompson’s 12-under 201 total was one better than Floyd, who closed with a 66.

*

David Graham, in semi-retirement for five years, had a birdie and an eagle on consecutive holes and finished the two-day Australian Skins game at Turtle Point with $69,840. British Open champion Greg Norman earned $25,920 from a purse of $108,000, Ian Baker-Finch won $8,640 and Craig Parry $3,600.

Baseball

Shortstop Jeff Blauser, the last of the Atlanta Braves eligible for arbitration, agreed to a one-year contract with a base value of $3.75 million.

First baseman Jeff Bagwell signed a one-year contract with the Houston Astros.

Miscellany

Mark Thompson was in serious but stable condition at a local hospital after he was injured in a crash during the Daytona ARCA 200 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. Thompson was being treated for a concussion, three broken ribs and bruises from his safety harness.

*

A penalty kick in the 72nd minute lifted Romania to a 2-1 victory over the U.S. team in the third-place playoff of the Carlsberg Cup soccer tournament in Hong Kong. Denmark beat Hong Kong, 2-0, in the title game.

*

Gary Bernardi, coach at Burroughs High in Burbank last season after 13 years as a Pac-10 assistant at Arizona and USC, was hired as an assistant coach at UCLA. . . . Inna Lasovskaya of Russia easily broke her own world indoor record in the triple jump, leaping 48 feet, 10 3/4 inches in a meet at Lievin, France. . . . Saen Sor Ploenchit of Thailand won a unanimous 12-round decision over David Griman of Venezuela to win the World Boxing Assn. flyweight championship at Bangkok, Thailand. . . . Karolyn Kirby and Liz Masakayan, both of San Diego, defeated Maria Salgado and Roseli Timm of Brazil, 9-12, 12-10, 15-13, to win a women’s beach volleyball tournament at La Serena, Chile. . . . Todd Prestage of Gerringong, Australia, won the Billabong at Santa Cruz, the first event of the 1994 Bud Surf Tour.