Floyd All Wet; Trevino Cleans Up : Golf: Water hazards on the 15th and 17th holes prove decisive in the PGA Seniors’ Championship.

Raymond Floyd’s hopes of winning a second consecutive major seniors event found a watery grave Sunday.

With the treacherous last nine holes remaining in the PGA Seniors’ Championship, the senior tour leader in nearly every category was at 12 under and led by four shots.

But, as it did to every other leader in the first three days, the Champion course at PGA National Resort knocked him out, and Lee Trevino won his second championship here in three years.

Three shots into the drink cost Floyd six shots on the par threes, 15 and 17, and the winner of The Tradition two weeks ago finished tied for third.

Trevino, with a careful bogey on the final hole, had a final round 70 and a 279 total, nine under. He beat Jim Colbert by a stroke, but it wasn’t really that close.

With a birdie on 18, Colbert had a 67 and 280. But Trevino would have had to four-putt from 50 feet to put Colbert in a playoff. Water, not the greens, caused the problems in this weird tournament.

Dave Stockton, who trailed by three shots after three rounds, hit one in the water on the 171-yard fifth hole to end his chances. He finished with a 72 and 282, tying Floyd, who had a 75--42 strokes on the back nine. Four hot golfers, Isao Aoki (66), Chi Chi Rodriguez (69), DeWitt Weaver (68) and Dale Douglass (72), were at 283.

Duffers expect an occasional quadruple bogey--it’s part of the game. But it comes as a shock to the stars of the Senior PGA Tour.

Stockton took a quadruple bogey on the 16th by hitting two five-iron shots into the water Friday. And Floyd went from one shot in front to three shots behind when he hit two shots into the water on the 164-yard 15th.

“I was in shock and I still am,” said Trevino, who was paired with Floyd. “It just isn’t like Raymond. I had no idea of winning this tournament when we made the turn and Raymond was leading by four shots.

“I began to have hope when a couple of birdies helped me pull within a shot going to the 15th. Still, I felt that I needed at least a couple of birdies on tough holes to have a chance.

“Can you believe that I parred the 15th and found myself with a three-shot lead? I couldn’t believe it. Nobody, except Jack Nicklaus, ever managed a course better than Raymond does. Mentally, there’s no way he blows this tournament.”

The wind, a factor the first three days, was not an issue in the final round. It came up a bit when the leaders were heading home, but Floyd felt one inch was the decisive element in his defeat.

“I count this as a learning experience,” he said, “only I would have preferred a less costly lesson.

“For the last 10 or 15 years, on the occasions when I have had problems with pressure I have had a tendency to hit everything right.

“From the start today I was having the same trouble, but it didn’t hurt me until the 15th when I hit a five-iron right into the water. Then from the drop area I had a six-iron right into the water. On 17, I hit a seven-iron right into the water.

“Always before I thought the problem was coming through too fast. But when I hit a nine-iron for my third shot, I discovered the real problem. I had moved too close to the ball. I am tall, I have long-handled clubs and I have an upright swing. And I only moved an inch too close, but it sure caused a whole lot of damage.

“One of the reasons why I never made adjustments was that I didn’t feel uncomfortable standing over the ball. It just kept going a little right. Hopefully, I will be able to use this lesson next time.”

Since he joined the seniors in 1990, Trevino, except when he was sidelined because of thumb surgery early in 1993, has dominated. He has now won two PGAs, the U.S. Senior Open and The Tradition.

Most players trailing Floyd by four shots might have given up. Trevino never did.

He started the back nine with a birdie on 10 when he hit a wedge to within one foot of the pin. After Floyd bogeyed 11, Trevino birdied 13 and suddenly he was in the battle.

“My caddie said, ‘It’s a game now,’ ” Trevino said. “Darned if he wasn’t right. But I’m still in shock.”

Golf Notes

The hot, humid weather took its toll on Freddie Haas, 78. He made the cut by shooting below his age in the first two rounds, but finished 83-81 and his 317 was the highest score. . . . There were 57 club professionals in the field of 135. Low among them was Gene Borek of White Plains, N.Y., who tied for 15th at 290. . . . By winning $115,000, Trevino, trying to top $1 million for the third time in four years, increased his earnings to $381, 017. Beginning with the Las Vegas tournament April 29-May 1, he will play 10 consecutive events. “I’m having fun this year,” he said. . . . Jack Nicklaus, unable to get his putter going, finished ninth, shooting a 72 Sunday for 286.