Archer Opens 7-Shot Lead With a 67 : Senior golf: But he says he won’t be satisfied unless he beats the regular tour players, too.

George Archer isn’t satisfied with running away with the senior division of the MONY Tournament of Champions. He wants to beat the “juniors,” too.

After shooting a five-under-par 67 Saturday over the 7,022-yard La Costa Hotel and Spa course, Archer, a rookie on the PGA Senior Tour, had a seven-shot lead in his division at seven-under-par 209 after 54 holes.

“I’m not going to play it safe and protect my lead,” said Archer, playing in his sixth senior event after reaching the seniors tour eligibility age of 50 on Oct. 1. “I’m going out after birdies. I want to win the whole thing. They can keep the money. I just want the trophy.

“The higher I finish with the kids, though, the better. It would mean something, because we’re playing the same tees and cup placements.”

Archer trails the regular division leader, Paul Azinger, by six shots. After 54 holes, only four others have better scores.

The 6-foot-5 Archer won 12 tournaments and almost $2 million on the regular tour. In his last regular tour event, he finished 14th in the Buick Open in late July.

“I’m finally graduating after 25 years in high school,” he said upon joining the senior tour. “Now I’ll be starting college.”

Archer won the Gatlin Brothers Southwest tournament, joining Gary Player and Arnold Palmer as the only players to win their first senior event. He also tied for second at Ojai.

Saturday, he tied the course record for seniors. However, his effort is the best by a senior because he played from the back tees; the previous record-holders played from the front tees. Archer’s only bogey came when he missed a 32-inch putt on the sixth hole. The only player who had a better third round was Mark O’Meara, with a 65.

Among Archer’s six birdies were putts of 25, 15 and 12 feet. He just missed two trap shots and three putts for birdies.

Al Geiberger, who shot a one-under 71, is second among the seniors at 216. Bruce Crampton is at 218, with Chi Chi Rodriguez and Bobby Nichols another shot back. Defending champion Miller Barber trails Archer by 12 shots.

Can anybody beat Archer? Rodriguez said: “Just go ahead and engrave the trophy.”

Orville Moody, who won the U.S. Senior Open last year and was selected golfer of the year by at least two publications, is at 228, 12 over par.

But for Moody, simply being here is a triumph. Less than two weeks before the T of C, Moody was hunting in Texas. He had been in a blind for 2 1/2 hours when he felt a sharp pain in the back of his head.

“It was like being hit with a hammer,” Moody said. “I didn’t know when my friend would be around to check on me so I just used my hat for a pillow and laid down. In a few minutes my friend came and took me to the doctor. My blood pressure was 240 over 140.

“My sister died of a brain hemorrhage at 53, and my father died of a stroke. I thought sure it was my time.”

Medical tests revealed no illness, however. “Apparently it was just stress,” Moody said. “The headache is gone and I’m glad to be here.”

Another problem is that his daughter Michelle, who usually caddies for him and helps him read putts, is in Texas remodeling her condominium.

Meanwhile, Archer’s daughter Elizabeth, who used to carry his bag on the regular tour, is his caddy again. She doesn’t help him read putts, however.

“Never ask a caddy to read putts or help do it,” Archer said. “Before the 1969 Masters, this caddy was telling me all about reading the greens at Augusta. I told him if he didn’t shut up he was fired. He never said another word until I won it on Sunday. Then, he said, ‘We sure did it, didn’t we?’ We sure did.”

THE LEADERS

At La Costa Country Club--Par 72

George Archer: 73-69-67--209

Al Geiberger: 74-71-71--216

Bruce Crampton: 71-74-73--218

Bobby Nichols: 71-74-74--219

Chi Chi Rodriguez: 73-71-75--219

Jim Dent: 74-73-73--220

Butch Baird: 72-74-74--220

Billy Casper: 76-71-73--220

Miller Barber: 72-75-74--221

Don Bies: 73-73-75--221