Golf Roundup : U.S. Team Wins, Meets Australia in Cup Final

The top-seeded United States beat fourth-seeded Scotland, 2-1, Saturday to advance to the final of golf’s richest tournament--the $1.2-million Dunhill Cup at St. Andrews, Scotland.

Mark O’Meara shot a three-under-par 69 to beat British Open champion Sandy Lyle by three strokes, and Curtis Strange edged Sam Torrance by one stroke after the Scot missed a short putt on the final green. However, team captain Raymond Floyd lost to Gordon Brand Jr. by one stroke.

In the final, the Americans will meet Australia, which downed Wales, 2-1, in the other semifinal.

First-round leader John Cook bobbed his way back to the top, shooting a three-under-par 68 to forge a tie for the third-round lead with Danny Edwards and Ken Brown in the $400,000 Pensacola Open at Pensacola, Fla.

Edwards shot a third-round 67, and Brown turned in the day’s low round of 64 to end up in a deadlock at 202.

Defending champion Lee Elder shot a five-under-par 67 on his way to a 137 total and a one-stroke lead after two rounds of a $165,000 PGA Seniors tournament at Melbourne, Fla.

First-round leader Jim Ferree (71), Don January (69) and Peter Thomson (68) were tied for second.

Beth Daniel defeated Pat Bradley, 1 up, to advance to today’s championship match of the $100,000 J&B; Gold Putter Award putting tournament at the Desert Inn Country Club in Las Vegas.

Daniel will meet the winner of the loser’s bracket for the $50,000 first prize. Three golfers--Bradley, Jane Blalock and Betsy King--are still in the running in the loser’s bracket. The other finalist will be decided in match-play competition this morning.

Defending champion Patty Sheehan was mistakenly disqualified in a loser’s bracket match when a penalty for changing ball brands was misinterpreted.