Kendall Gets a Grip, Becomes Sole Leader

Jay Williamson and Skip Kendall both acknowledged being nervous about their role as PGA tournament leaders.

Kendall fought off his nerves and had sole possession of the lead of the B.C. Open after three rounds in Endicott, N.Y. Williamson succumbed to his, bogeying his last two holes Saturday, and dropped into a group of five one stroke off the pace.

“It feels great to be leading. I’m a little nervous, but I will be fine,” Kendall said. “There’s a little more at stake . . . but I have nothing to lose.”

Kendall--who had a three-under-par 68--was at 10-under 203, one stroke ahead of Williamson, Craig Stadler, Gary Hallberg, David Edwards and Jeff Sluman.

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Ray Floyd’s game deserted him at the end of his round and Bob Charles and Bob Murphy moved into a one-stroke lead after two rounds of the Brickyard Crossing Senior PGA event in Indianapolis.

Floyd, who led after the opening round, had two bogeys and a double bogey over his final three holes and finished with a par round of 72. He fell into a seven-way tie at 137 and failed in his bid to set the tour record with his 11th consecutive round in the 60s.

“I did the same thing yesterday. It’s a mechanical flaw,” Floyd said of his troubles on the 417-yard closing hole which he bogeyed in the opening round. “It’s been quite a long time since it’s happened to me. I know what the flaw is and what caused it, so I’m going straight to the putting green.”

Charles and Murphy shot 68s, giving them nine-under 135s. Jim Dent, Hale Irwin, Simon Hobday and Lee Trevino were at 136.

Patty Sheehan, playing her last tournament of the year, shot a two-under 70 to take a two-stroke lead after the third round of the Safeco Classic in Kent, Wash.

Sheehan, the 1982 and 1990 winner who entered the round with a four-stroke lead over Sweden’s Liselotte Neumann and first-round leader Mitzi Edge, had a 13-under 203 total. Neumann birdied Nos. 17 and 18 for a 68 and a 205 total.

Ryder Cup player Sam Torrance shot a four-under 68 to move into a two-stroke lead with a 15-under 201 after three rounds of the British Masters in Northampton, England. Domingo Hospital of Spain, who carded a 67, and New Zealander Michael Campbell, who had a 66, were tied for second. Peter Mitchell of England is another shot back after a 67. Torrance’s Ryder Cup teammate and compatriot Colin Montgomerie was in a group of four at 205.

Motor Racing

Johnny Rumley’s early gas stop paid off with a victory in the MBNA 200 Busch Grand National stock car race in Dover, Del.

Rumley stopped on Lap 94 of the 200-lap race, topping off just before the end of a caution period. He took on enough gas to get to the end, losing a lap in the process. But the strategy worked when all the other leaders had to make gas stops in the late going as he held off runner-up Hermie Sadler by 0.79 seconds.

Phil Parsons finished third.

Meanwhile, three men were hospitalized with burns after a fire in the pits. Fred Sharples, a NASCAR official from Ormond Beach, Fla., was the most seriously injured, and is in stable condition after sustaining burns to the face, arm, hand and left leg. Crewmen Patrick Beckley and Terry Hunsinger, both from Spartanburg, S.C., were also in stable condition with burns to the face and hands.

Blaine Johnson led Top Fuel qualifying for today’s NHRA Pioneer Electronics Keystone Nationals in Mohnton, Pa., with a quarter-mile pass of 4.781 seconds at 301.81 m.p.h. Cruz Pedregon led the Funny Car division with a run of 5.081 seconds at 298.40 m.p.h. in a Firebird owned by former NFL coach Joe Gibbs. Warren Johnson led the Pro Stock event with a pass of 6.987 seconds at 197.28 m.p.h.

Defending world champion Michael Doohan, who had considered not running because of precarious track conditions after two days of rain, won the pole for today’s Brazilian Grand Prix 500cc motorcycle race in Rio de Janeiro with a time of 1 minute, 55.972 seconds--98.16 m.p.h. Doohan had refused to run in Friday’s time trials.

Miscellany

The U.S. women’s volleyball team moved within a victory of the $280,000 first prize in the $2-million World Grand Prix final with a 16-14, 15-12, 15-11 victory over China in Shanghai, China, earning the right to play Brazil, a winner over Cuba, today. Middle blocker Elaina Oden of Irvine had 23 kills and outside hitter Teee Williams of Long Beach added 20.

Tibor Benedek scored four goals, leading Hungary to an 11-6 victory over the United States and a berth in today’s final of the Water Polo World Cup at Atlanta against 1992 Olympic champion Italy. Roberto Calcaterra and Alessandro Bovo each scored two goals in Italy’s 6-5 victory over Russia in the other semifinal.

Top-seeded Thomas Muster needed only one hour to defeat Hungarian Sandor Noszaly, 6-2, 6-2, and move into the final of the $1.38-million Romanian Open against fellow Austrian Gilbert Schaller at Bucharest. Schaller struggled past Christian Ruud of Norway 6-3, 7-6 (7-5).

Karen Botha, a South African long jumper who won the bronze medal Friday at the All Africa Games, was the first athlete to test positive for a banned substance at the event although she claimed she had unwittingly taken the stimulant--dexdropropoxypheme. An appeal was planned.

Belleville (Ill.) West High School football Coach Dick Hood, 52, was in intensive care after back and neck surgery following a freak collision with a player during Thursday’s practice left him without feeling in his arms and legs. Hood, who regained some feeling after surgery, was bending over to place a cone on the ground when a receiver running pass routes in another drill collided with him, pushing his head into the ground.

A filly by Corporate Report and a colt by Lear Fan brought $100,000 each at Keeneland’s September Yearling Sale. Can-Am Bloodstock, as agent, bought the chestnut filly by Corporate Report out of Miss Winver by Sir Ivor. Robert Sullivan of Scotch Plains, N.J., bought the bay colt by Lear Fan out of Chateaubaby, by Nureyev.