GOLF SAN DIEGO OPEN : It’s a Matter of Course for Pate, Forsman

Torrey Pines has always been considered a hacker’s delight.

Nestled against the Pacific Ocean, the 36-hole municipal course has afforded golfers the opportunity to play in a country club setting.

Now it also has become a friendly haven for also-rans on the PGA Tour.

The last time Steve Pate won on the tour, it was here in 1988. And here he is again, tied with Dan Forsman at 132, 12 under par, for the second-round lead of the Shearson Lehman Brothers San Diego Open.

Forsman, the defending champion, had missed the cut at Tucson, at Phoenix and in last week’s Bob Hope Classic, but on Torrey Pines’ North course Friday he had an eight-under 64 for his share of the lead.

“I don’t know, it’s interesting,” Forsman said when asked to explain why Torrey Pines has treated some players so favorably. “I’m pleased with the fact I’ve won on a municipal golf course. I’ve always felt like municipal golf is grass-roots golf. If you can perform out here, you can perform anywhere.”

Tell that to Brad Faxon. He can’t find success anywhere but here.

Faxon, who is one shot off the lead, along with Ben Crenshaw, Emlyn Aubrey and Bill Sander, has been on the tour since 1984. And although he has been unable to win anywhere, he has been at his best at Torrey Pines. He was the tournament’s third-round leader in 1988 before finishing in a tie for fifth, and in 1989 he tied for second.

“I definitely want to play here every year,” Faxon said. “The last few nights I’ve been thinking of the great things that have happened to me here.

“A few years ago I played with Tom Watson here and I eagled the last hole and I think I’ve watched the replay of that a hundred times. I don’t know why, but it’s a course that’s really fun to play.”

As someone pointed out Friday, though, the last four golfers to have won this tournament have since failed to win another.

Aubrey hasn’t won a tournament, and until Friday had never gone nine under par. He said his 63 on the North course “was the best round I’ve ever shot.”

And so it has gone at Torrey Pines. Jay Don Blake was so disgusted with the way he was playing, he pitched his putter into a lake Monday. But now he is two shots off the lead with Robert Wrenn, Keith Clearwater and John Daly.

“I had that putter since high school,” Blake said after a 65 on the North course. “But I had to get rid of it because I was so frustrated.”

An equally frustrated Sander, who was two over after the first eight holes, has come to embrace Torrey Pines. Sander took a break because of fog after his poor start and has been 13 under in his last 28 holes of play.

His 65 was the South course’s low score of the day, and included six consecutive birdies.

“It was a great day,” Sander said. “I chipped in for a birdie on the first hole and that set the tone for the day. I only missed two greens. I wish more days could be like this.”

Crenshaw, who had a one-stroke lead after the first round, made two 40-foot putts for his second-day 68.

“I had a nice round--no bogeys,” he said. “It was a steady day. I had a lot of chances and feel as if I left something out there. But you don’t expect to make 40-footers, either.”

Amateur Phil Mickelson, who was a stroke out of the first-round lead, ran into trouble on the 14th hole on the South course. Mickelson’s drive went into the canyon, and after taking a double bogey, he dropped out of sight with bogeys on Nos. 15 and 16.

“He made the cut and before the tournament began that’s what we were hoping would happen,” said Tom Morgan, the tournament’s executive director. “Look at those galleries he’s been playing before. That’s a lot of pressure, no matter how old you are.”

Mickelson shot a 74 on the South course for a two-day total of 140. In barely making the 140 cut, he joins 71 players for the final two rounds.

Greg Twiggs, who won here in 1989, missed the cut with his 141, as did Craig Stadler, 141; Tim Simpson, 142; Scott Verplank, 143, and Tom Watson, 144.

Corey Pavin, who edged Mark O’Meara in a playoff to win the Hope last week, finished at 135 along with Jim Thorpe, who had a 64 on the North course.