A JOURNEYMAN FINDS HIS SWING : SEVEN BIRDIES KEY TYBA'S 66.

Byline: Dave Shelburne Daily News Staff Writer

Practice might not make perfect, but it made for perfect positioning for Ted Tryba midway through the Nissan Open.

So did patience.

The sixth-year PGA touring pro from Ohio State worked almost every day during his offseason attempting to fix an ailing golf swing - then waited nearly as long for the cure to take.

It kicked in big-time on Friday, when Tryba recorded seven birdies in a 5-under-par round of 66 at Riviera Country Club.

That left him tied for second at 6-under-par 136, within one stroke of tournament leader Don Pooley.

``Last year, my swing kept getting worse and worse,'' said Tryba, who elected to solve that problem the way he attacked the '96 tour - relentlessly.

The three-time All-American, who played in 36 of 45 PGA tournaments in '96, had even less downtime during his offseason swing rehabilitation.

He took off Christmas to be with his parents but practiced every other day in the near three-month span between the '96 and '97 PGA Tour seasons.

``I was just trying to get through it,'' said Tryba, who worked with two coaches and a lot patience. For all his efforts, he missed the cut in four of his first six tournaments this season.

But hanging in there has not been a problem for Tryba since he decided at age 7 he wanted to grow up to be a professional golfer.

As part of an unusual birthday ritual, young Tryba would grip his plastic club and hit plastic golf balls out of his grandfather's mouth.

More than a generation later, Tryba is still swinging away. This week's Nissan marks his seventh tournament of the year - he has played in all but the season-opening Tournament of Champions, which is open only to the previous year's winners.

Tryba didn't miss that one for lack of trying. His 36 tournaments in '96 ranked among the most on tour and raised his average to 31 in his five full PGA seasons.

``I've never been anybody to sit around,'' he said. ``I can sit around the rest of my life when I'm 60.''

The 30-year-old former Pennsylvania high school champion reasons pro golf is not an opportunity open to everyone, and he doesn't want to waste it.

``Not many people get a chance to play out here,'' he said. ``I'm fortunate - I don't ever want to look back and say I could have done this, I could have done that.''

WORKING MAN

Tryba's tournament total by the year:

1993: 33

1994: 34

1995: 35

1996: 36

1997: 6 (through seven events)

CAPTION(S):

Photo, Box

Photo: Although this birdie failed for Ted Tryba on No. 8, he made seven birdies on the day to close within one stroke of the lead.

Associated Press 

Box: WORKING MAN (see text)