Print

Mail

wiki links

Rose takes lead in Hope Classic

Justin Rose shot a six-under-par 66 on Friday to move to 18-under and has a two-stroke lead after the third round of the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.

England's Rose had five birdies, an eagle and a bogey at the Arnold Palmer Course at PGA West, one of four courses used in the pro-am tournament that features celebrities and amateurs.

The temperature was about 8oC, mild for most of the country, but considered low enough for most of the warm-blooded citizens in the state to petition for disaster relief.

Rose is from England but lives mostly in Florida, and he was not affected by sprinkles, 16kph winds or chilly temperatures.

"It was more the cold to be honest," Rose said. "I'm becoming a bit of a Floridian now I must say; I'm not used to the cold anymore."

US player Scott Verplank, who shared the second-round lead with Rose, shot a 68 and is at 16-under. Verplank had five birdies and a bogey.

Lucas Glover, John Rollins and first-round leader Robert Allenby, of Australia, all are tied for third at 13-under.

Germany's Bernhard Langer had the best round of the day, a nine-under 63 at Bermuda Dunes and jumped from a tie for 89th to tied for 13th.

Langer made two straight eagles, a hole in one on No. 7 and an eagle putt.

Phil Mickelson, who is the only player in the top 30 of the World Golf Rankings entered in the event, shot three-under-par 69 and is seven-under for the tournament.

The cold didn't seem to bother Langer. The 49-year-old made two straight eagles, a hole in one on No. seven and an eagle putt.

"I was playing good," Langer said of his round before the two eagles. "I was four-under on the front nine. I played very solid."

Now with two days remaining in the tournament, Langer wants to make another big jump.

"I think it's a very good score under the conditions as well," he said. "I imagine scores will not be as good as the first two days. I was at one-under, which is nowhere. Now I'm almost in contention."
This story has been viewed 1305 times.