Mike Springer, who has seen the heights and depths of golf in the past four years, shot a four-under-par 67 yesterday to take a one-stroke lead in the CVS Charity Classic at Sutton, Massachusetts. Springer won twice on the PGA Tour in 1994, then totally revamped his swing a year later in an attempt to improve his ball striking - and missed 18 consecutive cuts.

Now, he says, he is getting close to where he was before his experimenting, as shown by the round that put him on 10-under 132, one stroke ahead of Fuzzy Zoeller, Willie Wood and Paul Azinger midway through the tournament at Pleasant Valley Country Club.

Bad first-round scores destroyed the chances of the two Irish players of making the cut. Richie Coughlan shot 69 for a 143, and Keith Nolan's 73 yesterday put him on 147.