GOLF TUCSON OPEN : Andrade Uses a Hot Streak for 63 and Three-Shot Lead

Billy Andrade beat the course he hates with a nine-under-par 63 and built a three-shot lead Thursday in the first round of the $1.1-million Northern Telecom Open.

Andrade did most of his damage to the water-logged Starr Pass course with a streak that included seven birdies and an eagle during a nine-hole stretch beginning on the seventh.

“The best score, the best round of my life,” Andrade said. “Until today, I hated this course. It’s the reason I haven’t played here since ’88.”

And how does he feel about it now?

“It’s great. The best course we play. I wish we played every round of the year here,” he said.

But he has already played his last.

The 156-man field splits the first two rounds between Starr Pass and Tucson National, with the last two rounds at the latter.

Nolan Henke, Dudley Hart and Dick Mast shared second at 66.

Phil Mickelson, who won this title as an amateur two years ago, led a group at 67 that included rookie John Flannery, Jay Delsing, Dave Rummells, Scott Gump, Brian Claar and Craig Parry, an Australian newcomer to the PGA tour.

Larry Nelson scored a hole in one with a five-iron on the 197-yard seventh hole at Tucson National. He shot a 72.

Henke, Mickelson, Gump and Claar played at Starr Pass; the others at Tucson National. All will switch courses today.

When they do, they will be playing under different conditions.

Andrade and the others who played at Starr Pass--still showing the effects of recent storms--were allowed to lift, clean and place balls in the fairway.

Tucson National weathered the storms better, is much more dry and players are not allowed to touch the ball between shots.

“Being able to touch it, to move it, helps a lot,” Andrade said, “but it was still a great round.”

He one-putted 10 times, but made none longer than 15 feet. “A combination of being in control and some good putting,” he said.

Andrade followed four birdies with a 250-yard three-iron shot that left him a five-footer for eagle on the 11th hole.

He missed the fairway and bogeyed the next hole, then came back with three consecutive birdies to pull away from the field.