By David Westin
Augusta Chronicle

MARIETTA, Ga. - The pressure is on Lanny Wadkins this week, or so it would seem.

If he wants to play in his 19th straight Masters Tournament next week at the Augusta National Golf Club, the Texan must win this week's BellSouth Classic.

After shooting an even-par 72 in Wednesday's Pro-Am at the Atlanta Country Club, Wadkins shrugged off the suggestion that he would be pressing in the BellSouth, which begins Thursday.

``I don't know, I'm not losing any sleep over it,'' Wadkins said of not playing in the Masters. ``If I play well, fine. If I don't, I'll go home and spend a week with the kids.''

Though Wadkins has been in contention only once this season, his caddy isn't ruling out a victory this week. In his last six appearances in this tournament, Wadkins has three top eight finishes.

``His game can turn around like that,'' said caddy Leroy Schultz of Augusta. ``I'm pulling for him like hell.''

Wadkins isn't the only prominent U.S. player who is missing from the 1996 Masters field, which now numbers 92. Chip Beck, John Cook and Bruce Lietzke aren't in and they won't get in. None of them are playing here this week.

For historical precedent, all Wadkins has to do is look at last year. Davis Love III won the New Orleans tour stop, then the Masters prelude, to earn a spot in the field. Love went on to finish second in the Masters.

``I never anticipate,'' said the 46-year-old Wadkins, who is 13th on the PGA Tour career money list with $6,074,188. ``I just set my schedule at the start of the year. I want to get back playing good and win a tournament for me and if that gets me in the Masters, so be it. The Masters is not my sole reason for playing right now, trust me. I'm not as concerned over it as a lot of my friends are.''

Wadkins played in his first two Masters, in 1970 and 1971, as an amateur out of Wake Forest. He played in the 1973 and 1974 Masters as a pro. Starting in 1978, he has played in every Masters - a run of 18 years.

Wadkins, the winner of the 1977 PGA Championship, hasn't just played in the Masters, he's been a contender. He's finished in the top 10 five times, tying for third place in 1990, 1991 and 1993.

``I've had my chances to win in the late 1980's and early 1990s,'' Wadkins said. ``I wished I'd obviously played better a couple fo times.''

Wadkins devoted much of his time in 1994 and 1995 to his duties as the U.S. Ryder Cup captain.

Even though the U.S. lost the Ryder Cup to the Europeans last September, Wadkins said ``It was definitely worth it being a Ryder Cup captain. I wouldn't trade it for anything, the Masters or not. That was one of the highlights of my career. The Ryder Cup has been a big part of my career and I was proud to be a captain and work with the PGA of America. It was a terrific deal. I'd do it all over again.''

The Ryder Cup duties ``probably affected my game somewhat,'' Wadkins said. ``I didn't get to put the time and work in I would have liked. But I had gone into those two years not playing particualrly well anyway. So I've got no excuses. I just didn't play well.''

Wadkins was 68th on the money list in 1993, 185th in 1994 and 162nd in 1995. The last of his 21 PGA Tour victories came in the 1992 Hartford Open.

After missing the cut in his first three starts this season and then tying for 47th in Hawaii, Wadkins made a run at the Nissan Open, eventually finishing tied for sixth place.

After tying for 74th place at the Doral Open, Wadkins took the next week off and promptly injured his back. He withdrew from the next two tournaments, then returned for last week's Players Championship, where he shot 71-75 and missed the cut by two shots.

``The back aggravated him some last week,'' Schultz said.

The timing of the back injury ``was too bad because I was hitting it pretty good,'' Wadkins said. ``Now I'm getting it back. I'm hoping to get back playing well and have some fun.''