Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, April 9, 1990 TAG: 9004090201
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: AUGUSTA, GA. LENGTH: Medium
Wadkins lost at least five shots in the tournament's first two rounds when he knocked five balls in the water. It turned out to be costly by Sunday as the Richmond, Va., native finished five shots behind front-runners Nick Faldo and Ray Floyd.
"It was an interesting week," said Wadkins, after firing a final-round 68 for a third-place tie with John Huston at 283.
"I played pretty solidly all week but I had five in the water the first two days - three on Wednesday and two on Thursday."
Amazingly, Wadkins didn't have a three-putt all week on Augusta's tabletop-slick greens.
"That's pretty incredible around here," Wadkins said, "but the problem was I didn't make many."
Wadkins' finish was his best at the Masters. His previous best was a tie for seventh in 1979.
"I haven't really played well here and I have no excuse for that," said Wadkins, 40. "Generally, I play well on fast greens."
\ Lee Trevino won a trip back to the 1991 Masters if he wants it.
Trevino, whose exemption expired after this year's tournament, shot a final-round 72 to finish at 3-over-par 291, good enough to tie for 24th place. The top 24 finishers from the previous year are invited back for the next tournament.
Despite his fine play this week, the Merry Mexican remained unmerry when stalking the grounds of Augusta National Golf Club.
When walking off the 18th green Sunday, a small kid asked Trevino for his autograph.
As Trevino obliged, the kid asked, "What language do you speak?"
"I don't speak any language this week," replied Trevino, who has been tight-lipped all week.
Over the years, Trevino has had a running feud with Masters officials and policies, and has refused to enter the exclusive club's locker room in protest.
\ Jack Nicklaus entered Sunday hoping to win a record seventh Masters, but the 50-year-old superstar never could make a serious run at the leaders.
Nicklaus, who was five shots back going into the final round, shot a 2-over-par 74 to finish seven shots back in sixth place.
"I never could really get going," Nicklaus said. "I birdied Nos. 12 and 13 to get in reasonable position, but at [No.] 14 I shot the ball at the pin and missed. I was dead then."
Nicklaus bogeyed the 14th to fall six back. He three-putted the par-5 15th for a disappointing par.
He hit a fat 5-iron into the water at No. 16 to take another bogey. He also bogeyed No. 17.
"I was so far back I couldn't play golf," Nicklaus said. "I had to try to play catch-up by going straight at the pins, and that's very tough to do on this golf course. Usually, you end up making two more than you want in that situation.
"Of course, I'm disappointed. I had a chance to win. You're not going to get many chances at age 50 to win the Masters."
Nicklaus, whose interview was going on during the playoff, then asked to be excused from any more questions.
"I've got to go prepare for another Senior [Tour] tournament," he cracked.
\ Chris Patton, whose ample girth drew a lot of attention this week, struggled to a 78 in the final round but finished at a respectable 296 to take the low-amateur honor.
Patton, who plays collegiately at Clemson, said he plans to retain his amateur status and defend his U.S. Amateur title this summer. Then, the kid who learned to play the game whacking a 6-iron around on his family's South Carolina farmland, will attempt to gain his PGA Tour card at qualifying school.
Reacting to Patton's plans in a live CBS interview Sunday afternoon, tournament chairman Hord Hardin quipped, "Great, you're not planning to sign up for the Chicago Bears."
by CNB