Crenshaw Cuts Through the Fog With 65 : Golf: Mickelson among six players who are one stroke behind first-day Open leader.

Ben Crenshaw has heard all about “the next Ben Crenshaw.”

He even had a look for himself at amateur Phil Mickelson’s highly touted short game, and said, “It’s magic.”

But Ben Crenshaw is not about to go gentle into the history books just yet as one of the game’s outstanding putters.

Thursday, Mr. Crenshaw left his young upstart and the rest of the Shearson Lehman Brothers Open field behind after posting a seven-under-par 65 on Torrey Pines’ tougher South course.

Six golfers finished at 66 in the fog-plagued opening round, including you know who.

“I had a good time out there,” said Mickelson, who took the day’s largest gallery on a topsy-turvy tour of Torrey Pines’ North course. “The fog wasn’t a problem; I’ve seen the fog roll in quite a bit here.

“We played a few high school matches here where you couldn’t see 10 or 15 feet in front of you. You had no idea where you were going.

“So what we would try and do is take players out who have never played here before and get a little money match, and say, ‘Aim over there.’ ”

Andy Bean, who joined Mickelson, Lon Hinkle, Hal Sutton, Bart Bryant and Mike Standly at 66, sent a “I can’t hit a seven-iron any better” into the fog on No. 7.

“Nobody clapped,” Bean said. “The ball nearly went into the hole and ended up about a foot and a half away, but nobody clapped because they couldn’t see it. I didn’t see it until I got to the green.”

The fog, while a nuisance, didn’t keep 93 players from breaking par. The tournament field of 156 will be reduced to the top 70 scores--with ties--after today’s second round.

Corey Pavin, winner of last week’s Bob Hope Classic, was in a group of eight at 67. That group also included former San Diego resident Scott Simpson and 1988 San Diego Open winner Steve Pate.

Dan Forsman, the tournament’s defending champion, pronounced himself “pleased” with a 68 on the South course, and said, “I like my position going onto the North course.”

While the pros press on in quest of the tournament’s top prize of $180,000, Mickelson plays for fun and the chance to become the only amateur to win a pair of PGA Tour events.

“I wanted to play so good for the people in Phoenix, and it never really happened,” said Mickelson, who finished in a tie for 32nd place in the Phoenix Open after winning the Northern Telecom Open in Tucson earlier. “I learned from that to play as good as I can and not focus on the outcome.”

Mickelson, an Arizona State junior who was reared in San Diego, began his round on the north course’s back nine with a bogey on No. 11.

“I was nervous at the start,” he said. “I get nervous just like anybody else.”

The first of three fog delays, however, gave Mickelson more than an hour to calm himself. After play resumed, he strung together birdies on Nos. 13, 14 and 15.

A bogey at No. 17 stopped his momentum, and an errant tee shot on the par-5, 488-yard No. 18--his ninth hole of the day--threatened to send him in further retreat. Mickelson found his ball on a scruffy asphalt cart path, and while allowed the opportunity to take relief in nearby rough, he opted to swing away with a three-iron.

He topped the ball, ah, well, like an amateur.

“I heard someone behind me say, ‘Boy, that was a stupid play,’ ” Mickelson said. “But I would have had to drop to the right, and if I had done that, I would have been under some trees. I wouldn’t really have a back swing, and since it was hardpan, the ball would have probably rolled into some thicker grass.”

His topped shot rolled no more than 80 yards before settling behind a pair of trees. While partners Fred Couples and Tom Purtzer awaited Mickelson’s arrival on the green, he took out a seven-iron, lifted the ball over the trees and placed it eight feet beyond the cup.

It nearly fell directly into the hole.

Like Couples and Purtzer, he went on to birdie the hole. And the birdies kept right on coming.

He finished three strokes better than Couples, seven strokes ahead of Purtzer, and then adjourned to the press room for congratulations from Crenshaw.

“Nice work,” said Crenshaw, who added with a laugh, “I see you had a little trouble on the front side.”

Mickelson’s 32 on the front side matched the old pro’s front-side 32, but as for being the next Ben Crenshaw, a modest Crenshaw said, “He can do better than that.”

It may take something, however, to top Crenshaw’s first-day performance. Of the 15 players to finish five-under or better, only five played the longer South course. Today Crenshaw switches to the North, while those who played there Thursday go South today.

Crenshaw began his round three-putting for a bogey, and while that’s news, he was out to make headlines. He birdied three of the next five holes, and then pitched in from 50 yards out for an eagle on No. 9.

He dropped birdie putts of 10, 2 and 18 feet on the back nine to finish two strokes off the South’s course record of 63.

“That has to be one of my best scores on this course,” Crenshaw said. “The North course is two, maybe 2 1/2 shots easier.”

Crenshaw, a return visitor to this tournament for the first time since 1985, said he has worked hard this week on his game, changing his stance and putting aside his well-known putter, “Little Ben.”

“I went to a Cleveland Classic,” he said. “The other one is tired, I can tell you that. I leaned on him too hard.”

SHEARSON LEHMAN BROTHERS OPEN

FIRST-ROUND LEADERS

Ben Crenshaw: 32-33--65s

Lon Hinkle: 32-34--66n

Andy Bean: 34-32--66n

Hal Sutton: 31-35--66n

Bart Bryant: 32-34--66n

a-Phil Mickelson: 32-34--66n

Mike Standly: 31-35--66n

Jim McGovern: 33-34--67n

Scott Simpson: 34-33--67n

D.A. Weibring: 33-34--67s

Corey Pavin: 34-33--67n

Steve Pate: 34-33--67s

Steve Jones: 31-36--67s

Buddy Gardner: 34-33--67n

Nick Price: 34-33--67n

a-amateur. s-South Course. n-North Course.