GOLF AT LA COSTA : Opening-Round 69 Good Enough for Couples

Last year, when heavy rains turned La Costa into a swamp, the golfers on the PGA Tour made birdie after birdie.

Paul Azinger shot a seven-under-par 65 in the first round and Davis Love III won the opening tournament of the year at 10 under.

But in the first round of the Mercedes Championships Thursday, on a course in perfect condition, golfers had their problems.

Fred Couples, a flu victim for the last week, and three lesser-knowns shared the lead among players from the regular tour at 69, three under par.

The sensation from Fiji, Vijay Singh, Australian Brett Ogle and Nolan Henke also had a share of the lead on a day when only senior Dave Stockton burned up the course, shooting a 67.

Love shot a one-under 71. Only one shot off the lead was Greg Norman, who was in a group with Grant Waite, Scott Simpson and Phil Mickelson. Tom Kite was at 73.

Most golfers, even after brilliant rounds, point out how they could have scored better. Couples, admittedly worn out from his illness and ready to go back to bed, had a different approach.

“I had a bogey-free round,” he said. “And I probably should have had several. I was only hitting the ball fair. I didn’t have a really good shot all day.

“But, even though I don’t feel well, even the bad rounds I play aren’t bad. I haven’t really had a bad score since I started practicing for the Ryder Cup last summer.

“I said yesterday that I felt that to have a chance to win here, I needed to play a good round. A 73 or 74 would not have been a good thing.

“I really enjoy this course, but I don’t often have a good first round. I don’t concentrate well when I’m sick, but I made several recovery shots and that saved me today. For instance on 10 (a 450-yard par four) I hit a horrible drive. It was 50 feet right. But I recovered to get the par.”

Couples said Stockton’s 67 was remarkable.

“He’s been playing so well,” Couples said. “This will give him even more confidence.”

Couples said he thought he played well last year, but because of the turmoil surrounding his divorce, he didn’t practice much.

“My plan this year is to practice more,” he said. “But I got the flu last Thursday and I can’t get rid of it. I didn’t practice yesterday and I won’t today. I’m just too tired. . . . But I feel better than I did yesterday.”

Singh, a veteran of the European tour, was an instant success when he joined the U.S. tour last March. He finished second in the Nestle Invitational, his first event. In June he won the Buick Classic. And, when he shot a PGA Championship-record 63 in the second round, he was no longer an unknown.

The lean, 6-foot-2 long hitter plans to play in 20 tournaments on the U.S. tour this year and keep his playing card in the European tour by playing 11 there.

“I was invited only to play in five tournaments,” Singh said of last season. “But everything went so well, I stayed to play 14 and earn more than $600,000. It was always my goal to play on the U.S. tour. I played better than I expected.”