GOLF / PGA SENIORS’ CHAMPIONSHIP : Dent Has Few Nicks in His Round of 66

Maybe it was because he needed the money, but Jim Dent played his best round of the year Thursday and had a two-stroke lead after the first round of the PGA Seniors’ Championship.

The long-hitting Dent shot a 66, six under par, on the 6,702-yard Champion course--second longest on the Senior PGA Tour--at PGA National Resort. Larry Ziegler, who often starts fast, and Jim Colbert were at 68. Most of the low scores were posted early, before the wind kicked up. Colbert, however, was one of the last to tee off and had a 33 on the tougher back nine.

Dent acknowledged being one of the senior golfers fined this week by Commissioner Deane Beman for purse-splitting. He said he didn’t know how many violations he had, but it will cost him $2,000 per violation.

Bob Charles, like Dent an early starter, headed a trio at 69. He played well after starting with bogeys on the first two holes, two of the easiest.

Another happy late starter was Raymond Floyd, also at 69, along with Bob Murphy, who birdied the first four holes. Floyd missed four putts of less than 10 feet on the front nine but said he was extremely pleased. Floyd is in good position to make it two consecutive victories in senior majors.

Lee Trevino was among six at 70. Others in that group included Walt Zembriski, Dale Douglass and Dave Stockton.

“I didn’t think the wind was too bad, but the crosswind got me at 15 when I went over the green in the water,” Trevino said. “But I like my chances. I hit the ball today as well as I have in a long time.”

Dent, who has been struggling this year, said he had met with a couple of old friends, Jimmy Ballard and Rick Bradshaw, who helped straighten out both his swing and his attitude.

“The last couple of years here, I was drowning the ball on the par threes,” Dent said. “Sometimes I’ve had sevens and sixes, but today I avoided the water and played them one under.”

Since Jack Nicklaus revamped the course three years ago, water can be a problem on as many as 13 of the 18 holes.

The water disrupted Nicklaus on 15 and 17, both par threes. Nicklaus was three under going to 15, but put a six-iron shot in the water and did the same on 17. Each time he saved a bogey. He finished at 71, one under par and five shots behind Dent.

Dent didn’t win a tournament last year, finishing second in the Ralphs at Rancho Park and the Tournament of Champions at La Costa. He says his change in attitude could change that.

“I really feel pretty good about today’s round,” he said. “I think the last five holes are as tough a finishing group as we play. The two par threes are 164 and 152, but if the wind’s blowing you can really get into trouble.”

Ziegler led last year after the first round with a 66. The year before he had an opening 69. In his other six rounds those two years, he never shot better than 74.

A difference is that Ziegler, because of torn cartilage in his sternum, had not played for five weeks.

“It doesn’t hurt,” he said. “But because I had not played, I didn’t expect anything. I started hitting balls last Friday and used the woods Monday. I had been pretty wild for a couple of days, so I was pleasantly surprised. Maybe the solution is to stay relaxed and not expect too much.”

The wind was probably responsible for some unusual rounds. Murphy birdied the first four holes, then bogeyed the first three on the back nine. Charles, known for his steady play, had one par, five birdies and three bogeys on the front nine.

Defending champion Tom Wargo shot a 72. Mike Hill, suffering back problems, double-bogeyed the last two holes, shot 78 and might have to withdraw. Arnold Palmer shot a 77.