RIVIERA HOLIDAY HAYES' 64 IS LOWEST OF THE LOW.

Byline: Dave Shelburne Staff Writer

J.P. Hayes flew with the eagles Thursday - real and virtual - and sailed into undisputed first place in the Nissan Open at Riviera Country Club.

The 11th-year pro, who finished 7-under-par 64 as one of the last players to tee off in the opening round, actually took over the lead with three birdies in a four-hole stretch on the back nine.

That moved him first past Neal Lancaster, Mark Brooks, Bob Tway and Jeff Freeman (then sharing second place at 66), then clubhouse leader Robin Freeman (65), all of whom had finished much earlier.

But it was Hayes' eagle-birdie start that got his round flying.

``It was my best start ever,'' Hayes said of going 3-under par through the first two holes. ``No. 1 (503 yards, par 5) is a hole you want to birdie, and I got eagle. No. 2 (463 yards, par 4 into the wind) is a hole you just want to par and I got birdie, so it felt like an eagle.''

Then, Hayes did something that left him just as satisfied: He played the last 16 holes at 2 under par and didn't waste the flying start.

``That was almost more impressive,'' he said, ``because it shows consistency throughout my round.''

He wound up the most-consistent player on a day of consistency, as 85 players bettered par and 39 of them shot in the 60s in perfect weather conditions and with the lift, clean and place rule in effect after Wednesday's rainstorm left the course soft and damp.

Tiger Woods, second in this tournament the past two years and regarded as the player to beat in just about every event he enters, joined 10 others, including Vijay Singh and Jim Furyk, at 68. Another group of 10 was bunched at 67, including Nick Price and course record-holder Ted Tryba.

Defending champion Ernie Els, Ryder Cup sparkplug Hal Sutton and former PGA champion Jeff Sluman finished in a pack of 14 at 69 as the field of 144 set itself up for a scrambling cut day today, when only the top half of the two-round scores and ties qualifies for the weekend.

Woods said shooting low will be a high priority today, since rain is expected to return for the weekend - hard rain on Saturday.

``With that forecast in mind,'' Woods said, ``we need to somehow shoot some good numbers so we can somehow put ourselves in position for that day. Because if it's going to be like that and you hit a few drives off line, it's going to be pretty tough out here.''

It seemed pretty easy for the Freeman brothers Thursday morning. PGA Tour veteran Robin grabbed the early lead at 6-under-par 65 and younger brother Jeff - the two-time defending Southern California PGA Section champion and reigning national club pro champion - finished soon after at 66.

``I'm kind of a late bloomer,'' said Jeff Freeman, 37, a teaching pro at Tamarisk Country Club in Rancho Mirage. ``But it really helped me to play in the U.S. Open last year. It helped me in course management.

``We never had a big rivalry - we pull for each other so hard. I hope he breaks out soon.''

Robin Freeman, 40, a 17-year golf professional who has never won a PGA Tour event, is bidding for his best finish since placing second in the 1995 Byron Nelson Classic. He joked that he's looking forward and backward at the same time, with his younger brother in such close pursuit.

``It looks like he's trying to catch me,'' Robin said. ``I hope he does.''

Brooks, who has not won since his PGA Championship in 1996, said putts are the only part of his game that is missing right now.

``I've been playing OK for a while,'' he said. ``Just need to make some more putts.''

Price, a two-time PGA champion and 1994 British Open winner, headed for Riviera with more problems than putting:

``I was about ready to file an autopsy report on my game,'' he said. Instead, he took a tuneup with instructor David Leadbetter and came out firing in his first PGA Tour start of the year.

``I've been through a bit of down, but I'm definitely on the way up,'' he said.

He'll need it to beat the crowd today and the weather on the weekend.

FROM THE FRINGE

HOLE OF THE DAY

The 503-yard, par-5 first hole produced three eagles, including one by J.P. Hayes, who rode that momentum to a 7-under-par score of 64 and the undisputed tournament lead.

HACKER OF THE DAY

NICK FALDO

The man who won the 1997 Nissan Open at Riviera included a quadruple-bogey 9 Friday in a round of 76 that tied for second-highest score of the 144-man field.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"I was about to file an autopsy report on my game." Nick Price, on the state of his swing before a visit to instructor David Leadbetter helped produce a first-round 67 at the Nissan Open

DID YOU KNOW

This is the 37th time the Nissan Open (formerly called the Los Angeles Open) has been played at Riviera Country Club. The tournament has been held at 10 other sites in its 74-year history, including El Caballero, Griffith Park and Valencia.OFF THE BOARD

ERNIE ELS

The defending champion is six strokes back with a one-under 70.

TED TRYBA

After flirting with a legend-making 58 before settling for a 61 in last year's third round, he had a more mortal one-over 72.

SHEGEKI MARUYAMA

Bidding to become the first player from Japan to win on the U.S. mainland after tying for second with Tiger Woods last week, he shot a 72.

TRAILING THE LEADER

Robin Freeman

Freeman, seen here tiping his hat to the crowd on the 18th green, shot a six-under par 65 to finish one stroke behind first-round leader J.P. Hayes.

CAPTION(S):

4 photos, 6 boxes

Photo: (1) J.P. Hayes doesn't appear to like this tee shot on 16, but he was highly pleased with his start and consistency.

Reed Saxon/Associated Press

(2) Tiger Woods is less than satisfied with his chip onto the 18th green at Riviera CC.

John McCoy/Staff Photographer

(3) no caption (Schematic view of No. 1 hole)

(4) Robin Freeman

Box: (1) From the Fringe (see text)

(2) Trailing the leader (see text)

(3) Off the board (see text)

(4) Leaderboard

(5) First-round scores

(6) Second-round groupings