His Putter Still Hot in California : Senior golf: Eichelberger leads by two in Costa Mesa after 63.

On the PGA Tour, Dave Eichelberger won four tournaments between 1971 and 1981. Never known for his putting, he was a scrambler.

But beginning last fall--only a year after he joined the Senior PGA Tour--he emerged as the hot putter in the 50-and-older group.

Eichelberger sank three 25-foot putts and an 18-footer for birdies Friday at Mesa Verde Country Club in Costa Mesa on the way to a seven-under-par 63. That gave the Texas native a two-stroke lead in the $800,000 Toshiba Classic. Eichelberger had nine birdies and two bogeys.

Tom Wargo, Isao Aoki and Larry Laoretti are chasing Eichelberger. They were among the early starters and took advantage of smooth greens to finish at 65 in the opening round of the tour’s newest event.

“I don’t know the reason, but I’ve become a good putter in California,” Eichelberger said. “I’ve been dropping them from everywhere. Yet it was an 18-incher that I missed today (on the 14th hole), that I really remember.

“I said I’d finish, but there was mud on the ball. I went ahead and putted and missed it. I should have marked, cleaned the ball and waited. I did the same thing twice last week. But I’m still enjoying putting in California.”

Many California courses have a grass that grows erratically (poa annua) on their greens, and some golfers have trouble putting here. Because it dominates the greens at Mesa Verde, Lee Trevino predicted there would be putting problems. But not for Eichelberger.

Eichelberger began his putting streak in the Ralphs at Rancho Park last October. Putts of 40 and 45 feet helped him to a tournament-record 62 in the second round.

His next California appearance was in the Diners Club matches at La Quinta in December. Eichelberger, the least known of the foursome in the final round of the match-play event, was also the star. He was teamed with Raymond Floyd against Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. Eichelberger sank a 15-foot birdie putt on the 18th to tie the match and a 20-footer on the next hole to win it.

Two weeks ago at Ojai, his putting helped produce a 64 and a 66 in the rain-shortened FHP Health Care Classic. He lost in a playoff in heavy rain to Bruce Devlin.

“I get the feeling I can make them all here,” he said.

Laoretti, in the same threesome as Eichelberger, said some of Eichelberger’s putting rubbed off.

“It happens, you know,” Laoretti said. “I just missed making eight birdies in a row on the back nine. I made a short one for birdie on 10, then just missed four in a row of about 12 feet each.”

Laoretti sank a 15-footer on 15, then birdied the next two holes to finish within two shots of the lead.

Wargo, one of six seniors to earn more than $1 million last year, made an eagle on the 467-yard, par-five 10th hole and said his game is coming around.