Geiberger Leads; Eichelberger Breaks Monotony

The nicest thing to say about Al Geiberger’s golf game is that it is dull. On Friday, during the opening round of the Senior PGA Tour’s LG Championship in Naples, Fla., Geiberger was at his dullest.

“The way golf is, when you are playing your best, you are kind of boring--down the middle, hit to the middle of the green, just being monotonous,” Geiberger said after shooting a six-under-par 66 for a one-stroke lead. “It’s exciting when you’re getting up and down from all over the lot. . . . And that’s not good.”

The tournament site and sponsor have changed since Geiberger’s victory a year ago. Nonetheless, with a bogey-free tour of the 6,860-yard course at Bay Colony Golf Club, he made himself at home. But he had little to get excited about, missing only one green--on the 408-yard, par-four 17th, where he easily saved par.

Dave Eichelberger appeared ready to join Geiberger as a co-leader, but on that 17th hole he took a nose dive that included one lost ball and three unplayable lies. After finally reaching the green, he one-putted from 10 feet for an 11 that took him from six under to one over.

Vicente Fernandez, Isao Aoki, Chi Chi Rodriguez, Rocky Thompson and David Graham are a stroke behind in second at 67.

*

Tiger Woods, all traces of jet lag and weariness apparently gone, seized a two-stroke lead in the Asian Honda Classic, shooting a course-record 64 on the par-72, 7,016-yard Thai Country Club course in Bangna, Thailand.

Woods, who quit after 13 holes of Wednesday’s pro-am because of exhaustion, capped his round with a birdie on No. 18.

*

Kelly Robbins didn’t let the wind bother her as she fired a three-under 69 to retain a one-stroke lead midway through the $500,000 Palm Beach National Pro-Am tournament at West Palm Beach, Fla.

At nine-under 135, Robbins led by a stroke over Cathy Johnston-Forbes, who shot her second consecutive 68 over the 6,195-yard Heritage course at Ibis Country Club.

“It was a little windier this afternoon than it was when I started Thursday morning,” Robbins said, “but it wasn’t really bad. I hit the ball well, I just didn’t make as many 15-footers as I did yesterday.”

Johnston-Forbes and Robbins bettered the early-season 36-hole standard of 137 by Karrie Webb in the Tournament of Champions last month at Weston Hills near Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Tied at 137 were Jane Geddes, who equaled her career low with an eight-under 64 at Heritage, Dottie Pepper and Juli Inkster. Pepper and Inkster shot 68 and 69, respectively, on the Legend course.