BRIEFLY\Rookie Langham shoots 64, leads at Phoenix Open.

Byline: Daily News Staff and Wire Services

For a rookie who missed the cut in his first two tournaments, Franklin Langham likes his chances of finishing in the money at the Phoenix Open at Scottsdale, Ariz.

A one-shot lead doesn't hurt.

On Wednesday, Langham warmed up the Tournament Players Club of Scottsdale stadium course with a 7-under-par 64 in the first round.

"I'm not even thinking about the cut," he said. "It'll be nice to make one, but I'm out here to play well and finish on top. This is a tough game. You can miss a few cuts, and then come back with a top-five finish and make more than someone who just makes cuts and doesn't do much else."

The start of the 72-hole event, moved up a day because of the Super Bowl, was delayed 45 minutes because of frost on the greens.

That forced suspension of play at dusk, leaving 30 of the 132 players on the course. One of them was Joey Gullion, another rookie who was 5-under through 14 holes and must play 23 holes Thursday.

NFL 

Keith Gilbertson, fired as coach at California after last season, will become an assistant with the Seattle Seahawks. Gilbertson, 47, will be a defensive coach and will replace Tom Catlin, a longtime Seahawks assistant who is retiring after 36 seasons in pro football.

HOCKEY

Buffalo Sabres winger Donald Audette sidelined for half of Buffalo's 44 games, was fourth on the team in scoring with 12 goals and 13 assists.

ETC.

Bob Learn Jr. held the top spot heading into match play at the Peoria Open bowling tournament in Peoria, Ill. Learn averaged 223 in the third round to increase his lead to 61 pins in the first stop on the PBA Tour this year. Walter Ray Williams Jr. improved 11 places in the final six games of qualifying and is second. The Stockton resident is averaging 222. . . .