Golf Roundup : Barber Struggles to 71, but Has Lead in Vintage Event

Miller Barber survived an inconsistent first round to shoot a one-under-par 71 and take a one-stroke lead in the $300,000 Vintage Chrysler Invitational seniors tournament at Indian Wells.

Barber, 55, had five birdies and four bogeys on a windy day in the desert.

Bobby Nichols, Bob Charles and Gary Player are tied at 72.

Two shots behind are Bruce Crampton, former San Francisco 49er quarterback John Brodie and Bob Brue.

Next at 74 are Bob Toski and Chi Chi Rodriguez. At 75 are Orville Moody and Dale Douglass. Arnold Palmer and Lee Elder are among six players at 76.

In an eight-man tournament for super seniors--professionals 60 and older--Howie Johnson has a three-shot lead after a 70.

George Bayer is at 73 followed by Roberto DeVicenzo and Charlie Sifford at 78.

Dick Mast, who has spent most of his career on golf’s mini-tours, one-putted 10 times on the way to an eight-under-par 64 that gave him a one-shot lead in the first round of the $500,000 USF&G; tournament at New Orleans.

Bob Gilder putted his way to a 65 by sinking a 12-foot putt for an eagle and birdie putts of 30, 20, 15 and 15 feet.

Ben Crenshaw is tied with Brian Clear at 66, and Curtis Strange leads a group at 67 that includes Jay Haas, Phil Blackmar, Ronnie Black, Steve Pate, Brett Upper and South African Nick Price.

Mast, who has lost his PGA Tour card three times, began his assault with a 25-foot birdie putt on the second hole.

He came within an inch of holing out a 7-iron on the fifth, a shot that touched off a string of four consecutive birdies.

He reached the turn in 31, birdied the 11th from 10 feet and went in front alone with birdie putts of 35 and 15 feet on the 13th and 14th.

Jan Stephenson shot a four-under-par 67 to take a two-stroke lead in winds gusting to 35 miles an hour during the first round of the $200,000 LPGA Tucson Open.

Stephenson, the 1983 champion at Tucson, was in the lead all the way around after she had birdies on the first three holes.

Deedee Roberts and Lauri Peterson shot 69s, and there was a seven-way tie at 70 among Amy Alcott, Kathy Whitworth, Shelley Hamlin, Denise Strebig, Sandra Palmer, Rebecca Bradley, and Betsy King.

Stephenson, 35, dropped a 10-foot birdie putt on the first hole, hit a 9-iron to within one foot for a birdie on No. 2, and then rolled in an eight-footer for a birdie on No. 3. She also had birdies on the 7th and 13th holes.

Stephenson’s lone bogey came on the 18th hole.