GOLF / SENIORS AT LAS VEGAS : Zarley Rises and Then Shines With a 62

The early bird may catch the worm, but it was the early golfer who caught the birdies Friday at the Desert Inn & Country Club.

Kermit Zarley, the first player to tee off in the 54-hole, $700,000 Las Vegas Senior Classic, was much the best in the first round.

Zarley, a non-winner since joining the tour 18 months ago, flirted with the 50s before hitting a ball into the water on 18 and finishing with a 10-under-par 62. It tied the course record set by Jack Nicklaus in 1963 and tied by Al Geiberger in this tournament in 1987.

Exactly half of the field had teed off when Zarley finished his sensational round.

“It’s the first time I was ever 10 shots behind before I hit my first shot,” Dale Douglass said. “Are you sure I should go play?”

And Mike Hill, another of the earlier starters, finished six shots back. “I never before shot a 68 and was so far behind after one round.”

Closest to Zarley was Rocky Thompson, who had a 66, although he missed putts in the 10-foot range on the last four holes. Others tied with Hill at 68 were Miller Barber and Don Massengale.

Many of the favorites faltered as the wind whipped up late. Defending champion Lee Trevino, with the brace off his thumb, shot a four-over 76, trailing by 14.

“The thumb doesn’t hurt, but look at it,” Trevino said, exhibiting a left thumb swollen to twice normal size. “I hit too many practice balls, 11 buckets in two days.”

Zarley, who had seven birdies and two eagles, had visions of a round of 59. After 11 holes, he was nine under par.

“I didn’t know what the (course) record was,” he said. “All I was thinking of was shooting a 59. I had chances, too. I had birdie chances on the next three holes and wound up with pars and my chances were gone. Then, when I pushed my drive into the water with a three-wood on the 18th, I switched to enjoying leading the tournament.”

Hilton Hotels, which had offered a $1-million bonus for a 59 on any tour, changed the terms this year. It’s now $100,000 for a round under 60.

Although he hasn’t won on the Senior Tour, he was leading a month ago in the Doug Sanders event at Texas with six holes to play. But Bob Charles went birdie-eagle-birdie to wipe out his hopes.

A new putting style is the only change he made from last week, when he finished 11 over par in windy Texas.

In the early days of the tour for the 50-and-over set, amateur partners played with the pros in the first two rounds. Only this tournament, one of the pioneers for the seniors, still has the format.

Zarley, twice a winner on the regular tour, almost chipped in on No. 1 and made birdie. He hit an eight-iron into the hole from about 160 yards on the second.

“At 7 a.m. it still was still dark,” said Zarley, 52. “I knew I hit the eight-iron well, but I didn’t see it. I looked in the hole, there it was and I had an eagle.”

After four pars, he took off again, making putts of 12, six and eight feet for birdies to finish the front nine in 30. Although there was a 30-minute delay because several golfers had not yet started, he made a six-foot putt for eagle on the 512-yard 10th. When he birdied 11, he was nine under.

And when he appeared to be faltering, he sank a 10-foot putt to save par on 15, then made 25- and seven-footers for birdies to go to 18 needing a par for a course-record 61.

“We (his daughter Christy, who caddied for him) had only played this course twice, so we decided to play safe with a three-wood on the last hole. I made a horrible shot, pushing the ball way right into the water.”

Actually, it took an outstanding shot to save bogey on the 407-yard hole. He hit a two-iron 225 yards over water and trees onto the green and barely missed a 35-footer for his par and the record.

“The last time I shot a 62 I was only 15,” Zarley said. “It was at Jefferson Park in Seattle, where Fred Couples also learned to play. Ask Freddie if he ever shot a 62 there.”