SENIOR GOLF / THE TRADITION : Gilbert Holds One-Stroke Lead

It could have been disastrous, but one of the few triple bogeys in his career may have merely been a short detour for Lee Trevino.

After almost falling out of contention with a six on the short par-three 13th hole, Trevino, trying to repeat as champion of The Tradition, rallied Friday at Desert Mountain Country Club.

Gibby Gilbert, shooting a six-under-par 66, holds a one-stroke lead after 36 holes of the 72-hole $850,000 Senior PGA tour major. Gilbert, a three-time winner in two years on the 50-and-older tour, is at 133, 11 under par.

Isao Aoki, who tied the tournament record with a 65, is at 134, and Trevino is at 136, three shots behind.

A shot ahead of Trevino are Tom Shaw, who also had a 65, Dale Douglass and Tom Weiskopf. Three more, including Mike Hill, are at 135.

When Trevino went to the 13th, he trailed Aoki by one shot. After the hole, he trailed by five strokes.

“It was just a stupid mistake,” he said. “The 13th was playing about 155 yards, and the wind was in our face. I should have choked up on a seven (iron) and cut a low shot in there, using all the green. Instead I chose a nine-iron. John Daly couldn’t have reached with that club.

“So, I hit the ball into the bushes on the right and it was unplayable. The chili was a little red at that point and I three-putted.

“I hit the ball well, and if I can avoid stupid mistakes I can still win. In a 54-hole tournament it might have been disastrous, but there’s still time.”

Trevino settled down immediately, but he had to chip in for an eagle on the 18th hole to get back into contention.

Aoki had twos on the opening two holes in a running start to a round that included two eagles, four bogeys and only five pars.

On the 390-yard first hole, he knocked a pitching wedge 120 yards into the cup for an eagle. He followed with a birdie on the 190-yard second hole.

Aoki, whose other eagle came on the 569-yard eighth hole, barely missed a double eagle and did not have a par after the 11th hole. He finished with four birdies and three bogeys.

“It was a roller-coaster round,” he said through an interpreter. “I never had two eagles in the same round before. I was five under on the four par-fives. That’s the way I use to play.”

Douglass, who said that getting his irons and putter working were more important than being at home--he and Weiskopf live in Paradise Valley, a small community between Scottsdale and Phoenix--shot a 31 on the back nine to slip into contention.

Weiskopf said he felt more comfortable than he did during the opening round and warned that the important round was today.

“Right now,” he said, “(Raymond) Floyd (at 140) and (Jack) Nicklaus (141) are ready to rally. Just ask them. In a four-round tournament, the third round is usually pivotal.

“Anyone within five to seven shots of the lead can win this thing. It could be the round in which one of the trailers makes a big rally. On the other hand, if the guys in front respond, they could pull away from the field. It will be interesting.”

In 1991, Nicklaus trailed Phil Rodgers by 12 shots at the halfway point, Rodgers having set the tournament record with a 65. Nicklaus cut seven strokes off on the third round, then won it with his second consecutive 66.

“I’m not even thinking about what it will take to win,” Gilbert said. “I can’t plan ahead. I have to play one shot at a time, hope I play the best I can and win the tournament. The time to lead is Sunday night.”

Notes

The Cochise course is more than 500 yards longer than the normal course the seniors play. That made Jerry Barber’s opening-round 73 remarkable. The venerable Los Angeles pro, who needs a special invitation to play in senior events, will be 77 in three weeks. He was only one shot back in the super-seniors, known as the Grand Tradition here. Barber soared to a 79 Friday. The winner of the 54-hole tournament within a tournament will earn $22,000. . . . The 74 shot by leading money winner Al Geiberger in the first round was only the second of his 23 rounds this year in which he was over par. Geiberger had one string of 10 rounds under 70. He returned to form with a 69 during the second round. . . . Although he teed off four hours before the leaders and continued to play poorly, Arnold Palmer had a large gallery. An eagle on 18 enabled Palmer to shoot a 74 for 150.