Golf Roundup : Strange Comes Into Some Big Money by Winning World Series

Curtis Strange is making so much money, and has a chance for even more, that he may postpone his vacation.

Strange shot a final-round 71 Sunday to win the $800,000 World Series of Golf by three strokes at Akron, Ohio, and the $144,000 winner’s check enabled him to set PGA record with $697,385 in earnings this season. Greg Norman set the record of $653,296 last year.

The victory also put Strange atop the point list from which the PGA Player of the Year is chosen--a title he cherishes.

“When I won (the money-winning title) in 1985, I thought I might never have a chance at Player of the Year again,” Strange said. “I’d be foolish--I’d hate myself in later years--if I didn’t do everything I could to win it.”

That may include playing in the Nabisco Championships of Golf in San Antonio, Tex., at the end of October, a tournament Strange planned to skip for a three-week working vacation in Japan.

Strange’s third victory of the year also put him atop the the Nabisco Grand Prix of Golf, a season-long point list that will award the winner $175,000, on the condition he plays in the San Antonio tournament.

Should Strange pass up the San Antonio tournament to play in Japan, he would forfeit any money he would win from the Nabisco Grand Prix as well as a minimum $32,000 for last place in the tournament, which has a $2-million total purse and $360,000 first prize.

“I’m keeping an open mind,” Strange said. “I’m keeping my options open. I’m committed to Japan. But I can change my mind.”

Although unavailable for comment Sunday, PGA Tour Commissioner Deane Beman is known to be opposed to Strange’s plans to bypass the San Antonio tournament.

Strange declined to say whether Beman has authorized the release necessary for a U.S. tour player to compete in a conflicting foreign tournament.

Strange, 32, finished the tournament with a total of 275, five under par. South African PGA champion Fulton Allem came on to finish second, with a closing 70 for a 278 total. Mac O’Grady, with a final-round 69 and a 279 total, was the only other player to break par.

Ayoka Okamoto of Japan took the lead with a birdie putt at the 16th hole and beat Betsy King by one stroke to win the $250,000 World Championship of Women’s Golf at Lake Lanier Islands, Fla.

Okamoto, who shot a one-under-par 71, earned $81,500 for the victory, a record total for women’s golf.

Okamoto led the 12-player field with a four-day total of six-under-par 282. King finished with a 71 for 283, and Jane Geddes had a 73 to wind up at 284.

King earned $43,500 and leads the LPGA Tour with $424,175 in winnings. She moved into a tie with Okamoto with birdies on 15 and 16.

Playing about 20 minutes behind King, Okamoto made a 12-footer on 16 to regain the lead and held it with pars on the last two holes.

Rookie John Inman sank a 20-foot birdie putt on the 18th green to cap a round of four-under-par 66 and win the $450,000 Provident tournament by one stroke over Rocco Mediate and Bill Glasson at Chattanooga, Tenn.

It was Inman’s first PGA Tour victory and the second win by a Tour rookie this year. He lost the lead twice in the final six holes.

Miller Barber, despite a three-hole slump, beat Australian Bruce Crampton by one stroke and won the $300,000 PGA Senior Showdown at Jeremy Ranch, Utah.

Barber, who once held a five-stroke lead over Crampton, shot an even-par 72 to finish the 54-hole event at 210 and earn $45,000. The money put Barber less than $8,000 short of $3 million in combined PGA and PGA Senior career earnings.

Charles Coody, Orville Moody, Bobby Nichols, Gary Player and Chi Chi Rodriguez finished five shots behind.