A ROARING 20S' RACE; YOUTH A FORCE TO RECKON WITH AT MASTERS.

Byline: Karen Crouse Daily News Staff Writer

It was raining, it was pouring, it was a sight Justin Leonard was abhorring.

The afternoon thunder and lightning storm that swept through here on Wednesday acted like a moisturizer on the callous greens of Augusta National Golf Course, effectively neutralizing the upper hand Leonard figured to enjoy today during the first round of the 62nd Masters.

``I'm not real happy to see it's raining. I enjoy the greens when they're fast,'' said Leonard, who was victorious two weeks ago in the Tournament Players' Championship at Sawgrass in Florida, which boasted greens more comparable to Augusta National's speed traps than anything else the touring pros have seen this year.

The reigning British Open champion, Leonard, 25, is one of 14 players under the age of 30 in the field of 88 in the first leg of golf's Grand Slam. The general consensus is that Sunday's winner will emerge from the roaring 20s, a group that includes defending champion Tiger Woods (22), Ernie Els (28), David Duval (26), Phil Mickelson (27) and Lee Westwood (25).

``I think this is the best generation of golfers to come along in a long time,'' said two-time Masters winner Tom Watson. ``It's really an incredible class.''

The lion's share of attention this week has fallen on Woods, who last year tied and/or broke 26 records on his way to a 12-stroke victory over Tom Kite.

Augusta National is tailor-made for Woods, who is scary long off the tee. By contrast, only five players at the 1997 Masters finished with lower driving averages than Leonard's 254.5-yard mark. He since has bulked up by working with a personal trainer and has added some 10 yards to his driving distance.

``Length is a big advantage here because of the contour of the fairways and the severity of the greens,'' Leonard said. ``But I think putting and doing some of the other things can certainly make up for that.''

Last year Leonard made up for a 4-under par 76 in the first round by shooting 6-under par the rest of the way to slip into a five-way tie for seventh.

``I felt my game was good enough to win last year,'' said Leonard, who likes his chances even more this time around.

With his added length off the tee, ``I feel that now maybe I've got a little more room for error,'' he said. ``Instead of hitting a 4-iron to the green, maybe I'll be hitting a 5- or 6-iron.''

Driving distance is hardly an issue for the smooth-swinging Els. He is a long hitter who recorded his best finish (eighth) in four appearances here last year and is playing great so far in 1998. In the first three months he recorded two wins, one runner-up finish (to Woods in Thailand) and two thirds.

His sweet start has given Els, a two-time winner of the U.S. Open, the kind of confidence required to slay (or at least survive) Augusta National's greens.

``I think in past years I've played a little bit more conservatively, trying to get the right shot all the time and not getting the ball very close to the flag,'' Els said. ``Maybe I've gotten to the stage in my career where I've got enough experience that I can go out there and take the experience and go forward with it.''

Els' musings are amusing to Kite, who at 48 qualifies as an elder spokesman.

``It's interesting,'' he said. ``Five years ago everybody was talking about how the PGA Tour was on such a demise (because) there were no young players coming out here at all.

``It goes in cycles. There is a large crop of very, very good young players right now that are taking it to the hoop every week. Those guys are doing some great stuff and it's fun to watch.''

THIS WEEK`S TOURNAMENTS

PGA TOUR

Masters Tournament

Site: Today-Sunday at Augusta, Ga.

Course: Augusta National Golf Club (6,925 yards, par 72).

Purse: TBA ($2.7 million last year).

Winner's Share: TBA ($486,000 last year).

Television: USA (Thursday-Friday, 4-6:30 p.m. and 9-11:30 p.m.) and CBS (Saturday, 3:30-6 p.m.; Sunday, 4-7 p.m.).

Last year: Tiger Woods lapped the field with a record-breaking performance to become the first African-American champion in a major tournament and the youngest Masters winner at age 21. He shot 70-66-65-69 for a record 18-under 270 total and a record 12-stroke margin over Tom Kite.

Notes: Woods is winless in 14 PGA Tour starts since the Western Open in early July and also was well out of contention in the suspended Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. He had six victories in his first 21 tour starts as a professional. In two amateur appearances at Augusta, he tied for 41st in 1995 and missed the cut in 1996. . . . The winner receives a five-year PGA Tour exemption, a lifetime Masters exemption and playing privileges at Augusta National. . . . Jack Nicklaus has a tournament-record six victories, the last in 1986. Nicklaus (1965-66) and Nick Faldo (1989-90) are the only players with consecutive victories. . . . Nick Price set the course record of 63 in the 1986 third round, and Greg Norman matched it in the 1996 first round. Mark Calcavecchia set the back-nine record of 7-under 29 in the 1992 final round. . . . Doug Ford, the 1957 winner, is making his record 46th appearance. He does not plan to play after this year. Arnold Palmer, a four-time winner, is making his 44th consecutive start. . . . The MCI Classic is next week at Hilton Head Island, S.C. . . . The PGA Tour's Web site is www.pgatour.com.

NIKE TOUR

Shreveport Open

Site: Today-Sunday at Shreveport, La.

Course: Southern Trace Country Club (6,916 yards, par 72).

Purse (Winner's Share): $225,000 ($40,500).

Television: None.

Last year: Mark Wurtz beat Brian Kamm by a stroke, matching the course record with a second-round 63 en route to a 13-under 275 total. The tournament was played in October because of flooding in April.

Last event: John Wilson won the Louisiana Open on March 29, finishing with a 3-under 69 for a five-stroke victory. He had a 14-under 274 total.

Notes: Casey Martin is making his fourth start since a federal court ruled he can use a cart in tour competition. Martin, who has a circulatory disorder in his right leg, won the Lakeland Classic on Jan. 11. . . . Wilson leads the money list with $71,130, followed by Martin at $47,407. The top 15 at the end of the season qualify for the 1999 PGA Tour. . . . Omar Uresti had a tour-record nine consecutive birdies in the second round of his 1994 victory. He shot a 63. . . . The Upstate Classic is next week at Greenville, S.C.

CAPTION(S):

Box

BOX: THIS WEEK`S TOURNAMENTS (see text)