
DATE: Friday, October 10, 1997              TAG: 9710100877

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: WILLIAMSBURG                      LENGTH:   91 lines

WALDORF UNCORKS 63 TO LEAD BY 1 8-BIRDIE, NO-BOGEY ROUND EQUALS HIS TOUR BEST. BRYANT HAS 64.

It will be neither the sponsor's product nor the traditional celebratory champagne that flows Sunday night if the leaderboard at the Michelob Championship looks like it did after the opening round.

Leader Duffy Waldorf is a wine collector. Thursday at Kingsmill's River Course, he was also a birdie collector.

Waldorf made eight with no bogeys for a 63. That matched his career-best round on tour and was good for a one-stroke lead over Brad Bryant and two strokes over Greg Kraft.

Noteworthy among others lurking near the top of the leaderboard were Kingsmill touring pro Curtis Strange (67), Fred Couples (67), Payne Stewart (68) and British Open champion Justin Leonard (68). Defending champion Scott Hoch opened with a 70.

Waldorf said the gem of his wine collection, which numbers about 1,000 bottles, is a 1977 Fonseca Port, worth something in the neighborhood of $150-$200.

``It's about ready to be opened,'' Waldorf said. ``Any time I have my next win I'll be opening plenty of good wine.''

Like the bottles in his collection, Waldorf improved with the passing of time Thursday. Teeing off No. 10 in the morning, he made the turn in 2-under. Then he rattled off six birdies on his second nine, beginning with 25-foot birdie putts at Nos. 2 and 3 and a 20-footer at No. 4.

Waldorf finished fourth in his last outing, the Texas Open, but then took two weeks off, spending part of one flat on his back because he hurt his back while tying his shoe.

``I was obviously very pleased to come out here and be very sharp right away,'' Waldorf said.

He has a theory on why: He made a trip the wine store last week to stock up, which usually brings him luck on the golf course. ``I don't know why that is, but we'll see if it works out this week, too,'' Waldorf said.

If Waldorf is wine and cheese, one of the men on his tail is beer and cheese pizza.

The disheveled Bryant, nicknamed ``Dr. Dirt,'' made nine birdies and two bogeys, including one on a three-putt from 50 feet at No. 18 to finish with a 64. ``I didn't feel like me out there today, except on the last hole,'' Bryant quipped.

Kraft, two back at 65, is among the grinders on the tour this year, having played in 33 of a possible 38 events. Only Kelly Gibson, who shot 69 Thursday, has played in more with 34 entries.

Kraft is 138th on the money list and needs to make a couple of good checks in the final weeks of the season to reach the top 125 and retain his exempt status.

``I'm in a situation where it's forced participation because of where I am on the money list,'' Kraft said. ``I couldn't stand to be at home knowing I'm playing well and knowing I need to play.''

Well, but somewhat erratically. He had nine birdies offset by a bogey and a double-bogey at 16, where he three-putted. Kraft said mistakes have plagued him recently, but he's also had one round with at least eight birdies in each of his last four tournaments.

Kraft's round was the low score of the afternoon tee times. The morning produced Waldorf's 63 as well as a pair of 65s by Kirk Triplett and Scott Gump.

Triplett was off the first tee at 7:15, while Gump was teeing off No. 10 at that time. Both arrived at the course in darkness and warmed up on the range under portable lights.

Actually, Gump started warming up a little closer to daylight. His caddie was supposed to pick him up at his hotel at 6 a.m., and at 6:25 a.m. Gump went to the course without him.

``His alarm whiffed,'' Gump said.

Gump, however, did not. He characterized his season in three words - ``lots of mediocrity'' - but was sharp Thursday. Gump is 114th on the money list and could use a decent check this week to insure he will finish in the top 125. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Duffy Waldorf was 2-under after nine, then rattled off six birdies.

Color photo

HUY NGUYEN/The Virginian-Pilot

Fred Couples shot a 67, for a share of fifth place. Among the eight

players clustered four shots back was Kingsmill's own Curtis

Strange.

BILL TIERNAN/The Virginian-Pilot

Payne Stewart chips to the 15th green Thursday. Stewart shot a 68

for a share of sixth place with 17 others.

Photo

NHAT MEYER/The Virginian-Pilot