NOTEBOOK: DESPITE CONDITIONS, PLAYERS LOVE THIS COURSE.

Byline: Dave Shelburne Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - The wind was blowing and the putts were slipping past the cup with regularity again Saturday at Valencia Country Club. But if the Senior PGA Tour participants in the SBC Senior Classic were struggling with the conditions, it didn't stop them from appreciating the quality of the venue.

Dave Eichelberger watched the wind blow one of his shots into the water on No. 16 and could do no better than 1-under-par 71 despite an eagle and three birdies. But he later called Valencia one of the finest courses on the tour.

``This is one of the best, absolutely,'' he said. ``Top five, I'd say.''

Playing partner Tom Kite agreed after five birdies earned him a round of 69, leaving him tied for second with Monday qualifier Doug Johnson and Gil Morgan at 143 - two shots back of tournament leader Tom Watson.

``It stood up well to the PGA Tour when they played here (at the 1998 Nissan Open),'' Kite said, ``so we know that it's going to be one of our more challenging courses.''

--How tough was it? Players had contrasting opinions on the difficulty of conditions in the second round, sometimes offering opposite views while playing in the same group. And high-difficulty ratings didn't necessarily go with high scores.

``It's a struggle,'' said Watson, who shot 69. ``I didn't feel comfortable all day.''

Playing partner Gary McCord finished with a 75 to slip from a tie for third to a share of 12th but said, ``It really wasn't that tough, I just played badly. The wind's blowing, the greens are fast, but it's nothing you can't handle if you're playing well.''

Eichelberger, who had one of four eagles Saturday (on the 500-yard, par-5 ninth hole) said Valencia was comparable in difficulty to Friday, when the senior tour field posted the highest first-round average (75.86) since last year's U.S. Senior Open at Peabody, Mass.

``Maybe a couple of pins were not (placed) quite so tough,'' Eichelberger said, ``but all together, I'd say the conditions were just as hard. The wind came up on me a couple of times - knocked my ball right in the water on 16, so it is tough.''

--How super were they? Gibby Gilbert bounced an approach shot off the flagstick on the 18th green, then tapped in a birdie putt for a second- round 72 that stood up for a one-stroke victory over George Archer in the Georgia-Pacific Super Seniors competition, the 36-hole tournament within a tournament for senior tour players aged 60 or over.

Gilbert, who birdied three of his last four holes in the first round Friday, finished 145 for the two-round Super Senior event, earning $39,000. Archer won $29,000 for his 75-71-146.