GOLF ROUNDUP : Floyd Makes History and Donation

Raymond Floyd made PGA history Sunday and turned it into an occasion to help victims of Hurricane Andrew.

Floyd birdied five of his last seven holes to win the GTE North Classic at Indianapolis and become the first golfer to win tournaments on the regular and Senior PGA tours in the same year.

“It’s not really a great big deal,” he said. “I’ve been the only one really to have the chance. If Jack Nicklaus had played more golf (at age 50), he might have.”

Floyd, who won the Doral-Ryder Open in March on the regular tour, won in his second start as a senior.

Floyd’s six-under-par 66 gave him a 17-under 199 total, two shots ahead of Mike Hill. Floyd matched the tournament record set last year by George Archer and won $67,500, which he said he will donate to the PGA Tour’s hurricane relief fund.

A native of North Carolina, Floyd now resides in Turnberry Isle, Fla. He said he discussed the donation with his wife, Maria, after Hurricane Andrew devastated parts of Florida and Louisiana.

“After our tragedy earlier in the year, we know what it’s like to lose all your belongings,” he said, referring to a fire that destroyed his home in February.

“Fortunately we were insured. But 30 miles from where we live, the eye of that hurricane went through.”

Hill, who had a closing 65, was tied with his brother, Dave, and Floyd with seven holes to play.

Dave Hill dropped out of the lead with a bogey at No. 12, however, and Floyd and Mike Hill went on a birdie binge.

They matched birdies at the par-five 12th and 13th before Floyd made a 40-foot putt on No. 14 to take the lead.

Floyd matched Hill’s sand save at 15 and added close-range birdies at Nos. 16 and 17. Hill also birdied the 17th, but it wasn’t enough.

David Frost was as erratic as the cold, wet weather, posting four birdies and six bogeys in a round of two-over-par 72 that was good enough for him to win the Hardee’s Golf Classic by three strokes at Coal Valley, Ill.

Frost finished at 14-under-par 266 and earned $180,000.

Frost made three consecutive bogeys on the back nine and Loren Roberts moved to within one shot of the lead. But Roberts had bogeys on his last two holes to finish in a tie for second with Tom Lehman at 269 after both shot 70.

Colleen Walker shot a two-under-par 70 and recorded her third victory of the year by winning the $450,000 Safeco Golf Classic at Kent, Wash.

Walker, who earned $67,500 for the victory, finished the 72-hole event at 11 under par, two shots ahead of Vicky Fergon and Rosie Jones, who each shot 69.