Bobby Wadkins

For 22 years, Bobby Wadkins has played the PGA Tour. He has made a good living, had a few high finishes but never won a tournament. Maybe that 658-event losing streak is about to end. Wadkins, displaying a magnificent--and hardly customary--touch with the putter, shot a 64, eight under par, Thursday and led after the first round of the Buick Challenge at Pine Mountain, Ga. "Nobody is more surprised than me," said Wadkins after the lowest first-round score in the tournament's history.

Bobby Wadkins of the United States birdied the final hole Sunday and won Japan's richest golf tournament, the $812,500 Dunlop Phoenix event at Miyazaki, Japan, by one stroke over Graham Marsh of Australia. Wadkins' final round of 68, four under par, and 72-hole total of 277, 11 under, earned him $146,250. He also had won this tournament in 1979. Wadkins birdied the 16th but bogeyed the 17th. On the 18th, he rolled in a 6 1/2-foot birdie putt to edge Marsh, who closed with a 70 for 278.

Bobby Wadkins, seeking his first PGA Tour victory in a 14-year career, retained a two-stroke lead Saturday in the third round of the $1-million Doral Open golf tournament at Miami. Wadkins, the leader all the way in the chase for a $180,000 first prize, had a third-round 70 and finished 54 holes over the Blue Monster course at the Doral Country Club in 12-under-par 204.

George Burns, the golfer, is easily distinguishable from George Burns, the comedian. Burns, the golfer, is the one who often wears a long face and who has a tendency to get down on himself. His idea of a good time is riding an exercise bike and lifting weights. Even on Sunday, his biggest day in golf, George Burns III seemed to fight the urge to smile broadly or say anything that might be described as amusing.

BOCA RATON, Fla. -- Jerry Pate moved into position for his second consecutive Champions Tour victory, shooting a five-under-par 67 Saturday to take a one-stroke lead over Scott Hoch in the Allianz Championship. Pate, the Turtle Bay Championship winner two weeks ago in Hawaii, had an 11-under 133 total on the Old Course at Broken Sound. He eagled the par-four 13th, holing a sand wedge from 95 yards. The ball landed about a foot past the cup and spun back into the hole.

Keith Clearwater shot a course-record 11-under-par 61, matching the PGA Tour's best score of the year and giving him a one-stroke lead Friday after the second round of the Deposit Guaranty Classic. Clearwater, who had a 71 on Thursday, bogeyed No. 1 on the 7,157-yard Annandale course, then played the final 17 holes in 12 under with an eagle on No. 18 and birdies on Nos. 2, 3, 5, 6, 9, 11, 13, 15, 16 and 17. He finished with a 20-foot birdie putt on No.

Meg Mallon made up six strokes on Japan's Tatsuko Ohsako with a seven-under-par 65 Saturday and tied for the lead after two rounds of an LPGA tournament at Ohtsu, Japan. Ohsako had a 71 to remain tied for first with a 36-hole total of 141, three-under, on the 6,524-yard, par-72 Seta Golf Club course. Pat Bradley, the LPGA's leading money winner, was a stroke behind at 142 after shooting a 69.

Mike Sullivan shot a 7-under-par 63 and took a 1-stroke lead Thursday in the first round of the $600,000 Texas Open golf tournament. Sullivan, 33, made 7 birdies and an eagle, chipping in twice. "The last time I was 7-under was 8 years ago, in the second round of the 1980 Southern Open," said Sullivan, who scored his lone PGA Tour victory in that event. Corey Pavin, who had a hole-in-one, was tied with Bobby Wadkins at 64.