Jim Dent

Juli Inkster, who entered the final round with an eight-stroke lead, struggled to a three-over-par 74 Sunday and held off Hall of Famer Nancy Lopez by two strokes in the $500,000 Big Apple Classic at New Rochelle, N.Y. Despite her fourth-round troubles, Inkster completed 72 holes in a tournament-record 273, 11 under par for the 6,109-yard Wykagyl Country Club course. Lopez, with birdies on the 10th, 13th and 14th holes, shot her second 67 of the tournament finished at 275.

Rocky Thompson sank a nine-foot eagle putt on the 16th hole Saturday in building a three-stroke lead over two-time defending champion Jim Dent after two rounds of the Syracuse (N.Y.) Senior Classic. Thompson, in his third season on the over-50 tour and still seeking his first victory, survived an erratic round interrupted twice by lightning, but saw his four-stroke opening-round lead shaved by one.

Patty Sheehan came out strong, came apart and came back Saturday to win the $350,000 Hawaiian Ladies Open in Honolulu. Sheehan, who won her 26th LPGA event, shot a roller-coaster, two-under-par 70 to finish nine under in the 54-hole tournament. She was helped by the erratic putting of Beth Daniel, who finished three strokes behind, and a collapse by third-place finisher Pat Bradley.

Jack Nicklaus took an eight-shot lead after three rounds of the Senior PGA Championship at Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.. Nicklaus led by five strokes before Saturday's play, saw his lead dwindle to one stroke over Jim Dent at the turn, then put himself in position to win for the fourth time in six tries among the 50-and-over set. Moments after Nicklaus reached the turn, rain, wind and lightning swept over the PGA National Golf Club and play was held up for two hours.

Phil Rodgers, a non-winner in four years on the Senior PGA Tour, set a course record with a seven-under-par 65 Thursday to take a three-stroke lead over Don January and Bob Brue after the first round of The Tradition in Scottsdale, Ariz. Rodgers, who turned 53 Wednesday, shared the first-round lead here last year but finished in a 13th-place tie in the rain-plagued tournament.

Mike Hulbert overcame four strokes in penalties in two days, made up four strokes on the final day and defeated Davis Love III in a playoff to win the Kapalua Open at Hawaii Saturday. Hulbert shot a closing five-under-par 68 to catch Love (72) at 16-under 276. After Love missed a six-foot birdie attempt on the playoff hole, No. 18, Hulbert won it with a five-foot birdie. Love started the day with a four-shot advantage over Hulbert and Jim Hallet.

Hal Sutton and Doug Tewell, two players trying to end long dry spells, shared the lead in Friday's second round of the $1-million Buick Open golf tournament at Grand Blanc, Mich. Tewell shot a six-under-par 66, and Sutton had a 68 over the 7,014-yard course at Warwick Hills, about 50 miles north of Detroit. They were tied at nine-under-par 135. Tewell, who turns 40 next month, has four tour victories but none since the 1987 Pensacola Open.

Wayne Grady of Australia shot a six-under-par 66 Friday to take a one-shot lead after two rounds of the Atlanta tournament at Marietta, Ga. Grady, who has missed the cut in eight of his 13 tournaments this year, had a bogey-free round on the hilly Atlanta Country Club course. His 36-hole total of 136 is eight shots under par. Trailing Grady are five other players at 137: Ray Stewart of Canada, Larry Silveira, first-round leader Jay Don Blake, Duffy Waldorf and Mike Hulbert.

Lee Trevino, continuing his hot play in Florida, shot a two-under-par 67 Saturday and took a two-shot lead after two rounds of a seniors tournament at Naples, Fla. Bruce Crampton, Jim Dent, Mike Hill, Charles Coody and Larry Ziegler all are within five shots of Trevino entering today's final round. Trevino finished second last week at Tampa after winning two weeks ago at Key Biscayne. "I've got to get out of the chute quicker," said Trevino, despite rounds of 66 and 67.