Sports

Golf

Five share lead at Hope

Associated Press
Published January 27, 2005

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LA QUINTA, Calif. - Duffy Waldorf rolled in eight birdie putts, didn't make a bogey and still had lots of company atop the leaderboard.

Waldorf's 8-under 64 in Wednesday's first round of the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic was good enough only to put him in a five-way tie for the lead.

Fred Funk, Robert Damron, Ted Purdy and Joe Ogilvie also shot 64.

Fred Couples, the 1998 champion, shot 65 and was one of five at one back. Defending champion Phil Mickelson, who also won in 2002, shot 66 and was tied with six others. Only 13 of 128 players shot above par.

The players rotate among four courses for the first four days of the pro-am. Then the low 70 pros and ties play the final round at PGA West on Sunday.

Waldorf, looking for his first win in almost five years, began his round at PGA West by rolling in a 6-foot birdie and finished it with a shot out of the bunker and 4-foot birdie putt.

"I putted the best I've putted this year; really had good pace on the ball and was reading the greens well," he said.

"I kept the ball in play for the most part, didn't get in a lot of trouble."

David Duval shot 10-over 82 at PGA West, the same course he shot 59 six years ago to win.

OUTBACK PRO-AM: Fuzzy Zoeller, who flirted with shooting 59 in the final round last year, has committed to play in next month's Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am at the TPC of Tampa Bay.

The Feb.25-27 Champions Tour event features pros paired with amateurs during the first two rounds. Country singer Vince Gill, former NFL quarterbacks Joe Theismann and Boomer Esiason and actor Kevin Sorbo are among the celebrity commitments announced Wednesday. Bucs Ronde Barber and Derrick Brooks also have said they will play.

Zoeller, who won the 1979 Masters and 1984 U.S. Open, needed a birdie at the par-4 18th during the final round a year ago to become the first player in Champions Tour history to break 60. But he bogeyed the hole for a 61. Zoeller ended up tied for third, two strokes behind winner Mark McNulty.

Other players who have committed are: Curtis Strange, Tom Kite, Larry Nelson, Hale Irwin, Bruce Fleisher, Raymond Floyd and Hubert Green.

For tickets, call 813 265-4653 or visit www.outbackproam.com

Times staff writer Bob Harig contributed to this report.

[Last modified January 27, 2005, 00:41:13]

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