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Campbell wins Hope Classic

Chad Campbell watches his drive on the third hole during the final round of the Bob Hope Classic in Palm Desert, California, on Sunday. PHOTO: AP

Chad Campbell shot a scrambling 71 on Sunday to outlast Scott Verplank and Jesper Parnevik and win the Bob Hope Classic.

Campbell's 1-under closing round put him at 25-under 335, three shots in front of Verplank and 2000 Hope champion Parnevik.

Verplank, one stroke off Campbell's lead to start the day, had a 73 and Parnevik made a charge with a 67 during a round when gusty wind made the new Classic Course at Northstar tricky at times.

John Huston finished fourth with a 68 and 339 total. Former Hope winners Phil Mickelson and Mike Weir tied for fifth with John Senden.

Mickelson, the tournament champion in 2002 and 2004, shot a 71 to finish at 19 under along with Weir (70) and Senden (73).

It was the sixth time Campbell had entered the closing day of a tour event either tied for the lead or alone at the top -- and only the second time he came out with a victory.

He had stumbled a week earlier in Hawaii after being tied for the lead with David Toms to begin the final round. Toms won it with a 65, while Campbell had a 70 to drop into a second-place tie with Rory Sabbatini.

Campbell's closing round in the Hope bore little resemblance to his steady play the first four days, when he shot 63-66-68-67 and had only two bogeys.

His final round included a double-bogey, two bogeys, three birdies, an eagle and several scrambling pars.

After coaxing in a 32-foot eagle putt on No. 9 to go to 26 under and open a four-shot lead, Campbell hit into rocks and high grass alongside the fairway on the par-4, 474-yard 10th.

After a drop, he hit to the fringe, then chipped 15 feet beyond the cup. He missed the putt for a 6, losing the two shots he picked up with his eagle a hole earlier.

After pars over the next two holes, Campbell "salvaged" a bogey on No. 13 after hitting his tee shot into the water and his next shot into a bunker. He recovered by hitting his sand wedge within 6 feet of the pin, then making the putt for a 5 on the par-4, 399-yard hole.

Verplank, meanwhile, was having troubles of his own and, after being tied with Campbell on No. 7, never caught him again.
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