ADCOCK CALLS TO TOP OF THE LEADERBOARD HAS ONE-SHOT LEAD AT AT&T CLASSIC.

Byline: Dave Shelburne Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - PGA Tour Hall of Famer Ben Crenshaw took another step toward an elusive first Champions Tour victory, and qualifier Mitch Adcock took an even bigger step Friday in the AT&T Classic at Valencia Country Club.

Adcock, a 50-year-old veteran of several tours, played his way into the AT&T on Monday with a 69 at TPC Valencia, then shot his way to the top of the leaderboard in the opening round of the senior tour event, posting a 67 that could have been even better.

Three putts from 43 feet cost him a final-hole bogey that left Adcock 5 under par for the tournament, one stroke ahead of Crenshaw and Jay Sigel. Both of them are a stroke ahead of Tom Purtzer, Bruce Fleisher, Gil Morgan, John Bland and defending champion Des Smyth - all at 69.

Crenshaw, a winner of 19 PGA Tour events, including two Masters, has yet to win in six seasons on the age-50-and-over Champions Tour, but he felt good about his play Friday on what he considers a tough course.

``I've never played well here before,'' said the 1999 U.S. Ryder Cup captain after a round that included five birdies. It was all you could ask today.''

Ditto for Adcock, although he admitted to some slight frustration after that closing bogey.

``I'm happy with this round,'' he said. ``This is the greatest tour. The rest of these guys are past champions.''

One of those past champions, Bland, might best appreciate Adcock's position. Bland won a qualifier to get into the 1995 version of this event - then called the Ralphs Senior Classic - and wound up winning it at Wilshire Country Club, finishing a stroke ahead of Jim Colbert, who would go on to win Player of the Year honors that season.

Adcock would be happy enough to stay atop the leaderboard this week, following a career in which he has journeyed as much as Charlemagne - putting in time on the PGA, European and Nationwide tours and various mini-tours in addition to time on an operating table.

That came in 1996, when back surgery knocked Adcock out of the game for several years until a friend talked him into attending a seminar by Texas instructor Jim Hardy.

Adcock paid $2,000 to attend that seminar, liked it so much he paid another $2,000 to attend another and was signing up for a third when Hardy suggested they hook up for one-on-one work.

``He's made all the difference,'' said Adcock, who knew he was on his way to improvement by his 10th swing at the first seminar.

The Macon, Miss., native was well up the leaderboard by his 12th hole Friday, sitting 6 under par after overtaking early leader Morgan, who got to 5 under par before taking double-bogey on his next-to-last hole.

``I'm grateful for what I've got,'' Adcock said. ``This tour wasn't built for guys like me. It was built for guys like Crenshaw.''

Dave Shelburne, [phone]

dave.shelburne(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

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Photo:

(color) Ben Crenshaw, right, jokes with Gil Morgan during the first round of the AT&T Classic on Friday at Valencia Country Club.

David Crane/Staff Photographer

Box:

LEADERBOARD