GOLF ROUNDUP : Rodriguez Moves to the Front With a 66

If there’s a runaway at The Tradition, it will have to come in the last two rounds.

Jack Nicklaus, who has won the $800,000 Senior PGA Tour tournament two years in a row by coming from behind, shot a 65 in the first round and seemed poised for a stroll.

In Friday’s second round, however, Chi Chi Rodriguez shot a 66 and took a one-shot lead with a 36-hole total of nine-under-par 135.

He started four shots behind Nicklaus and wound up one shot in front of Lee Trevino and two strokes ahead of the first-day leader, who had an even-par 72.

Trevino’s 69 left him alone at 136 at the halfway point.

Homero Blancas, who matched Rodriguez’s 66 for the best round of the day, and J.C. Snead were grouped with Nicklaus at seven-under 137.

Jim Albus, Dick Stockton and Mike Hill were next at 138, while Jim Ferree, Mike Joyce and Ben Smith were clustered at 139.

Rodriguez had eight birdies and two bogeys. He made four birdies and one bogey on each side of the 6,684-yard Cochise Course at Desert Mountain.

“The key was I hit my irons awfully good today, and I putted pretty good,” said Rodriguez, 56, who ranks third on the money list with $156,131.

Trevino said the course, which Nicklaus designed and which fits Nicklaus’ game of towering iron shots and long, accurate drives, was soft from days of frequently heavy rain.

“I always play wet golf courses good,” he said. “We’ll probably have a tougher time the next couple of days if it dries out more. But I like wet golf courses. I won my four major championships in the mud.”

Chip Beck set a two-round tournament record and took a four-shot lead by shooting a 65 in the second round of the $1-million tournament at New Orleans.

Beck’s 36-hole total was 12-under-par 132 and broke the record of 135 set in 1989 by Dan Forsman and Tim Simpson. His 65 was one off the course record of 64 set by Joel Edwards last year.

Brad Bryant, who shot a 69 Friday, was at 136, and Jeff Maggert was at 137 after rounds of 68 and 69 over the 7,116-yard course at English Turn.

Beck said a miserable round in The Players Championship last week helped him to his outstanding performance at English Turn.

“I shot 81 last Saturday,” he said. “That taught me a lot. It was tough on me.

“Because I shot it last week, it will help me be stronger. I can accept whatever happens tomorrow.”

Ian Woosnam, defending champion at New Orleans and the Masters, was at 143, in an 18-way tie, including Nick Faldo and Phil Blackmar.

Seve Ballesteros, tied with Beck and Bryant after Thursday, shot 73 on Friday and fell into a tie with Tom Kite and five others at 140. Jay Haas, another first-round leader, shot 72 and wound up in an eight-way tie at 139.

Greg Norman was tied with three others at 138.

Florence Descampe of Belgium and Michelle McGann shot five-under-par 67s to share the lead after the first round of the $450,000 LPGA Las Vegas International at the Desert Inn Country Club.

Descampe, 23, gained exempt status on this year’s tour by finishing fourth in the 1991 LPGA qualifying tournament. She won the 1991 German Open and finished second in the World Ladies Open in Japan.

Chris Johnson is one stroke off the lead after shooting a 68. Five golfers are at 69: Jane Geddes, Beth Daniel, Judy Dickinson, Jill Briles-Hinton and Nancy Lopez.

Dottie Mochrie, the winner of last week’s Dinah Shore, is in an eight-way tie at 70.