Valentine Cashes In on His Day at Torrey Pines : Veteran Shoots 64, Joins Three Others for 1st-Round Lead in San Diego Open

At a race track, Tommy Valentine would have been a hunch bet the smart money would have ignored.

Here was a 35-year-old with nary a victory on his chart.

However, it was Valentine’s Day at Torrey Pines Thursday. Literally.

The veteran of nine years on the PGA Tour shot an eight-under-par 64 to share the first round lead in the $400,000 Izusu-Andy Williams San Diego Open with Gary Hallberg, Don Pooley and Howard Twitty.

This was an 80-degree day with the most gentle of breezes, and par took a heartless battering. Sixty-six golfers bettered 70 and 99 bettered par 72.

“With these conditions,” said Bruce Lietzke, who won here in 1981, “pros are going to shoot low scores.”

Lietzke, indeed, thought his 65 was rather decent, especially on the tougher South Course, but he was locked in a five-way tie for fifth with Steve Pate, Loren Roberts, Gene Littler and Vance Heafner.

Valentine, for his part, must have considered his 64 to be rather routine on such a day. He was gone from the course by the time anyone realized he had played his last four holes in four-under and tied for the lead.

In Valentine’s absence, Hallberg distributed the hearts and flowers. He is having a rewarding love affair with the seaside Torrey Pines layout.

“What can I say?” Hallberg grinned. “I love that golf course.”

Hallberg played the villainous South Course, as did Valentine. They are the true leaders after Round 1.

Take it from the two fellows who carded their 64s on the North Course.

Pooley: “I feel the South Course is two to three shots tougher, maybe four. It’s longer and the par-fives aren’t as reachable.”

Twitty: “To me, on the North Course, you’ve got to shoot four or five under just to hold your head up.”

Hallberg doesn’t particularly care which of the two courses he happens to be playing. He loves them both.

“These golf courses,” Lietzke said, “have been awful good to his bank account.”

Hallberg was the winner here in 1983 and second-place finisher after a playoff with Gary Koch last year. What’s more, he tied for fourth in 1981 and tied for seventh in 1982.

How kind has the San Diego Open been to Hallberg’s bank account? In his career, $116,263 of his $454,627 have been earned at Torrey Pines.

“I don’t even have to line up my putts,” said the 26-year-old from Wake Forest. “I just go up and roll ‘em in.”

Hallberg was almost in a giggly mood, as if Torrey Pines’ canyons have some magical pollen only he can sniff.

“Really,” he said, “I like it here. Even the jets going over the golf course help keep me loose and take my mind off things.”

He hesitated.

“I see some blank looks out there,” he said. “I don’t know if it makes sense to you, but it makes sense to me.”

Hallberg did not exactly come to Torrey Pines on a roll. He had tied for 73rd at the Bob Hope Desert Classic, and then missed the cut at his next three tournaments.

And he did not even start on a roll, playing the back nine first and bogeying No. 10. Seven pars and an eagle on No. 6 did a thorough job of repairing the opening bogey’s damage.

The 18th hole, a bittersweet memory for Hallberg, was more of the same Thursday. He won in 1983 with a birdie putt on 18, but lost in 1984 when he three-putt to force the playoff with Koch. He hit the water in front of the green Thursday, depriving him a chance at a birdie and a 63, but still salvaged his par.

Valentine, meanwhile, also had his problems with the 18th. He started on the back nine, and had to “settle” for a 33 because he bogeyed the 18th.

Coming down the stretch on the front nine, he made his move with an eagle on No. 6 and birdies on Nos. 8 and 9.

When the field switches courses today, Hallberg, Valentine and Lietzke--at or near the top of the pack Thursday after playing the South--would seem to be in advantageous positions.

“I really wouldn’t mind going back out and playing the South,” Lietzke said. “The players seem to think the North Course is a pushover, but the South is in better condition. And I’ve always said you never know the leader in San Diego until the first two rounds have been played.”

In spite of the individual heroics of Hallberg, Valentine and Lietzke, the South Course was still the tougher course. Of the 66 golfers who shot in the 60s, 46 played the North Course.

A “victim” of the easier North Course was Mark O’Meara, who managed only a 72. He was seeking his third straight tour victory, but an eight on the par-four fifth hole was his undoing.

With only 70 golfers (and ties) making the 36-hole cut today, O’Meara would probably have to shoot a 67 on the South Course to have much of a chance of staying in the tournament.

A couple of other “name” players, Craig Stadler and Johnny Miller, were a little better placed with 67s on the South. Tom Watson, a two-time winner here, had a 72 on the South.

Among the names were the usual early-round no-names. Ernie Gonzalez of Chula Vista and Bob Lohr, neither with a nickel to his name in tour earnings, shot 66 on the North.

Lohr might have been a nice Valentine’s Day story himself, being from Loveland, Ohio. However, a real Valentine and Gary Hallberg’s love affair with Torrey Pines left Lohr two shots off the lead.