Round 1 Notes – Bob Hope Chrysler Classic
Joe Durant (CC), Tim Petrovic (CC), Shigeki Maruyama (CC), Mathew Goggin
(CC) and Omar Uresti (PW) share the first-round lead of the Bob Hope
Chrysler Classic hosted by George Lopez after posting matching 7-under 65s.
This marks the fifth time in BHCC history that five players have shared the
first-round lead (1960, 1961, 1970, 2005 and 2007).
With the leaders sitting at 7-under 65, this marks just the fourth time in
the last 16 years (dating back to 1993) that the first-round leader of the
BHCC didn’t open with a 9-under 63.
A total of 11 first-round leaders/co-leaders have gone on to win the BHCC,
but none have done so since Mark Brooks in 1996.
Jeff Quinney is off to another hot start on the West Coast, firing a
6-under 66 on Wednesday at La Quinta Country Club. In 2007, the 2000 U.S.
Amateur Championship winner opened with a 68 and eventually finished T4 at
the BHCC – the first of four consecutive top-10 finishes. He went on to
finish 51st in the FedExCup Playoffs.
Richard Johnson, the leading money-winner on the 2007 Nationwide Tour, is
looking to maintain his momentum in the state of California – where he
posted three of his four career titles, including most recently the 2007
Mark Christopher Charity Classic and the 2007 Nationwide Tour Championship
at Barona Creek. The former Augusta State University All-American/Waffle
House Manager is making just his third career TOUR appearance, with prior
starts coming at the 2001 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am (T36) and the
2006 Nissan Open (missed cut). He opened with an even-par 72 at SilverRock
Resort.
Defending champion Charley Hoffman opened with a 4-under-par 68 at
SilverRock Resort and is currently tied for 23rd place, just three shots
off the pace. Throughout the last 20 years of the BHCC, the only player who
was closer to the lead while defending his title was Phil Mickelson in 2005
(two shots back). Hoffman is just one year removed from becoming just the
second player in BHCC history to win the tournament in his initial try
(Arnold Palmer, 1960).
Among the top 12 players on the leaderboard, Shigeki Maruyama (65/CC) and
Jason Bohn (66/SR) are the only players making their first start at the
BHCC.
Since Johnny Miller won in back-to-back years in 1975-76 (the only player
to perform the feat), just four players have posted top-10 finishes while
defending their title – including John Mahaffey in 1985 (T8), Kenny Perry
in 1996 (T7), David Duval in 2000 (T5) and Phil Mickelson in 2003 (T6).
Low scores at the four tournament courses on opening day:
The Classic Club 65, Tim Petrovic, Joe Durant, Shigeki Maruyama,
Mathew Goggin
Palmer Private at PGA West 65, Omar Uresti
La Quinta Country Club 66, Jeff Quinney, Steve Elkington, Ben Crane
SilverRock Resort 66, Jason Bohn, Robert Gamez
There were 11 bogey-free rounds on Wednesday:
La Quinta CC – Ben Crane (66), Mark Calcavecchia (67), Nick Flanagan (68),
Olin Browne (68), Fred Couples (69)
The Classic Club – D.J. Trahan (67), Nicholas Thompson (68)
SilverRock Resort – Jason Bohn (66), Brett Rumsford (67)
Palmer Private at PGA West – Omar Uresti (65), Johnson Wagner (67)
The par-72 SilverRock Resort, making its inaugural appearance in the BHCC
rotation, played the toughest among the four courses on Wednesday with a
70.125 average. Opening-round scoring averages are as follows:
The Classic Club 69.969
Palmer Private at PGA West 69.813
La Quinta Country Club 69.688
SilverRock Resort 70.125
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