LPGA Tournament at Poway : A Healthy Pat Bradley Is Only One Stroke Back of Leading Trio

A warning to golfers on the Ladies Professional Golf Assn. tour: The old Pat Bradley is back.

After a two-year struggle against hyperthyroidism, Bradley is again playing the brand of golf that has made her the leading money-winner of all time. She has had two straight top-10 finishes, and made a good start toward another Thursday by shooting a 69 in 103-degree heat in the Red Robin Kyocera Inamori tournament at StoneRidge Country Club.

Bradley’s opening round, two under par, left her one shot behind Deedee Lasker, Dale Eggeling and Cindy Rarick, who tied for the lead with 68s.

Nineteen golfers were bunched within two shots of the leaders, and eight others were three strokes back. Sharing fourth place with Bradley were Sherri Turner, Laura Davies, Nancy Brown, Lori West, Sherri Steinhauer, Martha Nause, Kim Williams and Missie Berteotti.

Bradley, 38, has earned $2,471,971 since joining the tour in 1974. However, she won only $15,965 last season, and reached her low ebb when she finished 73rd and last in this tournament a year ago.

“It was two years of pure living hell,” she said. “I couldn’t hit a drive 190 yards, and usually I go about 240 off the tee. Many of my associates were feeling for me.

“Two weeks after I played here, I finally gave in and saw some doctors. They used radioactive iodine to turn off my thyroid. Now I religiously take a thyroid pill every day, and I feel better than ever.”