Bob Hope Chrysler Classic
Bermuda Dunes Country Club
California
14th -18th January 1998

Prize Money $2.3 million

This is a five-round event (90 holes) is being played on four par-72 courses in Southern California -- the 6,478-yard Indian Wells Country Club, the 6,901-yard La Quinta Country Club, the 6,931-yard PGA West Course and the 6,927-yard Bermuda Dunes Country Club.

First Round

First Round Scores

Magee's 63 gives him a one-shot lead

Bermuda Dunes, California. 14th January 1998 - Andrew Magee nearly birdied every hole on the first nine to give him a 9-under-par 63 to take a one-shot lead after the first round of the $2.3 million Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.

Magee had seven birdies on the front nine of the Indian Wells Country Club course, missing birdie putts of seven feet at the par-4 third hole and 10 feet at the par-5 fifth. On the inward nine he returned with only three birdies and a bogey, missing the course record by two strokes shared by Bert Yancey in 1974 and David Edwards 1987.

"For the first nine holes of '98, I played well," Magee said. "If you are going to shoot a low score, it's going to be here. I haven't played in a month and a half. I was struggling Monday; today, I hit the ball well. I had no clue what was going to happen."

Magee, whose best round last year was a 65, has a one-shot lead over Brad Fabel, Steve Lowery and Fred Couples who is playing for the first time since the death of his father in November. He shot 8-under at La Quinta, while Fabel and Lowery played Indian Wells.

"I used the new driver and I wanted to get used to the club," said Couples. "I hit a lot of good drives. I putted well. You do that when you're 8-under. If you can do well here, you've got a chance in the tournament."

Fabel started on the back side at Indian Wells and immediately double-bogeyed when he sent his bunker shot over the green. But he recovered with birdies at the 12th and 14th holes and gained momentum with an eagle at 18. Fabel added six birdies on the front side, including three in a row.

"This is a course, if you are going to pick on one, this is easier than the rest of them," he said. "The par-5s are all reachable here. ... My only thoughts are trying to hit shots. I don't like to get caught up in worrying about shooting low scores."

Six players are within two strokes of the lead, including 1981 champion Bruce Lietzke and David Duval, a runner-up at this event in 1995 who came up short last week in a bid to become the first golfer in 45 years to win four straight PGA Tour starts.

Also shooting 7-under 65s were Peter Jordan, PGA Tour Rookie of the Year Stewart Cink, Willie Wood and Bob Tway.

Defending champion John Cook, who tied for fourth at last week's season-opening Mercedes Championships, already is eight shots off the pace after a 1-under 71 at Indian Wells. Last year, he posted a five-round total of 33-under 327 to defeat Mark Calcavecchia by one stroke.

Cook is one of only six golfers to win this tournament more than once, also prevailing in a playoff in 1992.

Two-time champion Corey Pavin, trying to bounce back from a disastrous 1997 campaign in which he had just one top-10 finish, shot 2-under 70.

Phil Mickelson, who continued his career-long trend of success in early-season events by winning the Mercedes Championships, is not entered. Neither is Tiger Woods, who tied for second with Mark O'Meara.

All golfers will play each course once, with the cut coming after Saturday's fourth round. Those who survive the cut will play Bermuda Dunes again on Sunday. First prize is $414,000.