GOLF ROUNDUP : Rodgers Shoots Record 65 for Lead in Tradition

Phil Rodgers, a non-winner in four years on the Senior PGA Tour, set a course record with a seven-under-par 65 Thursday to take a three-stroke lead over Don January and Bob Brue after the first round of The Tradition in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Rodgers, who turned 53 Wednesday, shared the first-round lead here last year but finished in a 13th-place tie in the rain-plagued tournament.

This time, he took advantage of sunny, 92-degree conditions to record eight birdies on the 6,864-yard Cochise Course at Desert Mountain.

Chi Chi Rodriguez, Gary Player, Mike Hill, Ben Smith, Tommy Jacobs, Jim Dent and George Archer were tied at 69.

Defending champion Jack Nicklaus, making his Seniors season debut on the course he designed, struggled to a 71. Lee Trevino shot a three-over-par 75.

Chris Johnson of Tucson birdied the 18th hole to tie Betsy King at five-under-par 67 and share the first-round lead of the $350,000 LPGA event at Tucson.

Patty Sheehan, this season’s money leader, was one of four players at 68 on the 6,199-yard North Course at Randolph Park. Allison Finney, Nancy Brown and Karen Davies also shot 68.

Jan Stephenson, who is recovering from a broken left finger sustained in a mugging last year, was among five who shot 69.

Rain forced postponement of the first round of the Independent Insurance Agent Open at The Woodland, Tex., for the second year in a row.

The first round will be completed today. No decision was made to reduce the tournament to 54 holes.