NISSAN OPEN FIRST ROUND: DUVAL SHARES LEAD; AFTERNOON 66 MATCHES ESTES' MORNING ROUND; TIGER STAYS CLOSE.

Byline: Dave Shelburne Daily News Staff Writer

David Duval, ranked No. 2 in the world, rallied late. Top-ranked Tiger Woods stayed within range, as usual. And Texas tour veteran Bob Estes showed he, too, might challenge in the Nissan Open at Riviera Country Club.

Duval, who shot a tour-record-equaling 13-under-par 59 in his last tournament round in California, said he was ``absolutely'' satisfied with the 5-under 66 he shot Thursday, when he tied Estes for the first-round lead with a birdie on the par-5 17th hole.

``Especially,'' said afternoon starter Duval, ``when I started out and saw such good scores in the morning. I'm very pleased.''

Duval's five-birdie, bogeyless round caught near-day-long leader Estes, who finished with seven birdies and two bogeys after an 8:21 a.m. start.

``I shot a good score today, but I had a few too many loose, sloppy shots,'' said Estes.

Both enter cut day a stroke ahead of Loren Roberts, Nick Price and Kirk Triplett, all tied at 67. Fifteen others, including two-time Nissan champion Fred Couples, were tied at 68. Another 17 players, including Woods, were at 69 at the conclusion of a cool and overcast opening round.

The long-hitting Woods, who shot a Torrey Pines course-record 62 in winning the Buick Invitational last week, finished with three birdies, just one on Riviera's three par-5 holes.

Phil Mickelson, in the pack at 68, said success at Riviera was a matter of patience.

``You can't overpower the course, so you have to be patient,'' he said. ``The course tempts you, on holes like No. 10 (a 315-yard par-4), but you have to stay patient.''

Jerry Kelly, a former high school hockey star, took the first lead of the tournament at 3-under-par 68. He was elated at his chance finally to earn a paycheck at Riviera, should he remain in the top half of the field today.

``I hold this course in high esteem,'' Kelly said. ``It hasn't been good to me - I've never made the cut here, (but) it's my favorite course on tour.''

Kelly even liked the chilly temperature, which didn't rise much above 60 degrees all day.

``I like this weather,'' he said. ``I'm from Wisconsin. I didn't even think about a jacket today.''

Loren Roberts reached the top of the leaderboard next, including five birdies in a gloomy morning round of 67 and promptly proclaiming Riviera ripe for scoring. The damp weather, he said, helped keep drives in the fairways and approach shots on the greens.

``You've got some room to drive the ball today,'' said Roberts, who took advantage with ``one of my better ball-striking rounds of the year.''

Price and Triplett (a sizzling front nine of 31) joined Roberts atop the field at 67 before Estes roared home at 66, his 5-under-par performance the residue of a recent switch to a stronger grip.

``I've always had one of the best short games out here,'' Estes said. ``but until my ball-striking gets tighter and stronger and straighter, I'm not gonna do as well as I want to do and I'm not gonna to be winning the tournaments I want to win.''

He said the grip change was prompted by watching players like Woods, Duval and Justin Leonard, a former British Open champion who shot 70 on Thursday.

``They've all got something in common,'' Estes said, reasoning ``maybe it's something you ought to be working into your own game.''

But even striking for seven birdies with the stronger grip the didn't totally please the former University of Texas star, who followed previous Longhorns Tom Kite and Ben Crenshaw onto the tour 10 years ago.

``I've been playing good,'' Estes said. ``I've been shooting plenty of good scores. But I've got a long way to go to get up there with the guys I don't have to name.''

One of those unnamed appeared primed to yank the lead away from Estes early. Duval, who earned $1 million in winning his first two starts this year, struck for back-to-back birdies Thursday afternoon on holes Nos. 6 and 7 to get to 3 under par at 4-under with seven holes to play.

He didn't catch Estes until the 17th hole, but neither did the world's No. 2-ranked player put himself in much trouble.

``The only chance I had to make bogey was on the 14th hole when I rolled my first putt seven feet past,'' Duval said. ``Other than that, I didn't come close.''

He said he's enjoying the run which has produced nine victories in his last 30 starts.

``I'm planning on this going on for a long time, myself,'' he said. ``I don't think I'm doing anything beyond my capabilities.''

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Photo: (Color) David Duval didn't get as many birdies as Bob Estes, but his 66 was good enough to tie for the first-round lead. Estes played in the morning, Duval played late in the day.

John McCoy/Daily News