GOLF AT LA COSTA : Age Before Beauty With Stockton’s 67 : Seniors: Leader’s score is two shots better than best of regular tour players in first round at La Costa.

Before the Mercedes Championships began Thursday, the Senior PGA Tour brass voted to play from the same tees at La Costa Resort and Spa as the regular tour players.

Although that meant the 50-and-older golfers had play a 7,022-yard course, the best score in the first round of the 72-hole, $1.5-million simultaneous tournaments was shot by a senior.

Dave Stockton, named senior player of 1993 a few hours later, shot a bogey-free 67, five under par, and took a three-stroke lead in the senior division. Stockton, who won more than $1 million and five tournaments last year, was two shots better than the four players who share the regular-tour lead.

Dale Douglass, a member of the senior board that decided to play from the same tees as the youngsters, sympathized with them.

“They shouldn’t feel bad,” Douglass said. “Dave’s been beating us all year.”

Because there are odd numbers in both tournaments, Douglass was paired with Rocco Mediate, from the regular tour, and shot a 71 to Mediate’s 72.

Jack Nicklaus, playing as a senior in the event he won five times as a regular tour player when it was known as the Tournament of Champions, had trouble putting. He shot a 73 and trailed Stockton by six shots.

“I hit the ball well, considering I haven’t played in quite a while,” Nicklaus said. “But my putting was nonexistent. It was encouraging that I was doing very well with my driver. But the putt I sank for the birdie on 18 was an exception to the way I putted. I very well could have been four strokes better.”

Stockton said he has no illusions about being the leader after 72 holes.

“I think it’s great they decided to play from the same tees, but there’s no way I’ll finish best,” he said. “I’m not concerned about their higher purse. I’m competing against seniors. That’s all I’m concerned with.

“I’m sorry we aren’t playing just three rounds. No telling who will come around to beat me out.”

He is becoming used to playing against younger players.

“I have no illusions about the juniors,” Stockton said. “Heck, I got one in my family that I can’t even beat. Ever since Dave Jr. led the qualifiers for the regular tour, he’s been pounding me. He’s making me a better player, too.”

His other son, Ronnie, is a senior at Redlands, majoring in psychology.

“He’s my teacher,” Stockton said. “At this stage of my career I only need that kind of teaching.”

Golf is now a family effort.

“We think of ourselves as Team Stockton,” Stockton said. “Cathy (his wife) . . . was the only mother to caddie on the Nike (satellite) tour. I don’t know what she’s going to do about going to tournaments.

“I’m going to play a full schedule because I want to prove last year was not fluke. But I’ll be at Pebble Beach for the AT&T.; I will be in the same foursome with Dave Jr., and hopefully Ronnie will be my amateur partner.”

Stockton said the difference in the tours was not in the distance of the courses, but in the severity of the roughs.

“They play deeper, tougher roughs,” he said of the regular tour. “That’s why I’m proudest of a shot I made out of deep rough on the 12th hole. I mean, it was buried. If the marshal hadn’t stuck a flag there, I wouldn’t have found it. The sand-wedge blast put me six inches from the cup.”

Bob Charles was closest to the leader with a 70. Douglass was joined by Bob Murphy, George Archer, Lee Trevino and Jim Colbert at 71. Defending senior champion Al Geiberger was alone at 72.

Leaders

SENIORS

Dave Stockton: 35-32--67

Bob Charles: 36-34--70

Dale Douglass: 36-35--71

Bob Murphy: 36-35--71

George Archer: 35-36--71

Lee Trevino: 36-35--71

Jim Colbert: 37-34--71

Al Geiberger: 36-36--72

Jack Nicklaus: 37-36--73

Five others at 73

PGA TOUR

Vijay Singh: 34-35--69

Nolan Henke: 35-34--69

Fred Couples: 34-35--69

Brett Ogle: 34-35--69

Grant Waite: 35-35--70

Scott Simpson: 36-34--70

Greg Norman: 35-35--70

Phil Mickelson: 34-36--70

Six tied at 71