JOE GARAGIOLA OPEN

TUCSON, Arts.--Gill Morgan dropped a 22-font birdie put on the second extra hole and defeated Lanny Wadkins and Curtis Strange in a sudden-death playoff Sunday for the title in the Joe Garagiola-Tucson Open, the kickoff event on the PGA Tour.

Morgan, who hasn't won since 1979, Wadkins and Strange all completed the regulation 72 holes in 271, nine shorts-under-par on the Randolph Park Municipal course.

Strange, who has collected more than $465,000 in the last two seasons without taking a title, reeled off a string of four consecutive birdies on his way to a closing 65. Morgan shot 67 and Wadkins, a three-time winner last season, had a 68 in the bright, warm desert sunshine.

The victory, the fifth of Morgan's career and his first since the Memphis Classic more than three years ago, was worth $54,000 of the total purse of $300,000. Strange and Wadkins each won $26,400.