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.

Third Round Report

Third Round Scores
Second Round Report
Second Round Scores
First Round Report
First Round Scores

Magee opens up a four-stroke lead

Bermuda Dunes, Califronia, 16th January 1998 - Andrew Magee re-discovered his first-round form to score an 8-under-par 64 today, opening a four-shot lead through three rounds of the $2.3 million Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.

Magee, who held the first-round lead after a 63 at Indian Wells on Wednesday, today torched the PGA West Course, a par-72 that measures 6,931 yards. He set a 54-hole record with a 21-under-par 195 for 36 holes and plays Bermuda Dunes on Saturday.

Mark O'Meara and PGA Tour Rookie of the Year Stewart Cink are tied for second at 17-under.

Fred Couples, Bob Tway, David Duval and Brad Fabel are all at 16-under, while second-round leader and 1981 champion Bruce Lietzke and Steve Jones are one stroke further back. Lietzke, who played the 6,901-yard La Quinta Course today, shot a 2-under 70.

Magee recorded birdies on five of his first seven holes. He gained strokes on the second, third and fourth holes, with no birdie putt longer than eight feet. After a par, he had a two-foot birdie putt on the par-5 sixth hole and an eight-footer on the seventh. He missed a four-foot birdie putt on the next hole but quickly bounced back with a 25-footer on the 456-yard ninth.

"I'm hoping for a rainout now," joked Magee, who bettered the mark of 196, established by Harry Taylor in 1995. "I played probably the best round of golf I have played in a couple of years -- hit all the fairways, hit all the greens and had lots of birdie opportunities and laid some and missed some."

Magee missed another four-foot birdie putt, this time on the eleventh, but holed a 25-footer on the 15th hole. He nearly eagled the 364-yard 16th hole, sticking a sand wedge within one foot of the cup. Magee also missed a three-foot birdie putt on the 532-yard 18th hole, a par-5.

"Absolutely," Magee responded when asked if this round was better than Wednesday's. "(At) Indian Wells, I definitely had a couple of hiccups on the back nine. I got up-and-down a couple of times at Indian Wells. Today, I was hitting all the fairways and all the greens, so definitely, a much better round."

Magee, who has not won since the 1994 Northern Open, finished second at the Greater Vancouver Open and B.C. Open last year.

Cink, who played La Quinta today, traded strokes on the second and third, with a bogey and then a birdie. He eagled the 498-yard, par-5 fifth hole, using a driver and 3-iron to set up a 12-foot putt.

Cink gave one of those strokes back two holes later by three-putting from 35 feet for bogey, but had a birdie on the 11th hole and gained stroke on the 13th, 14th and 18th, capped by a 15-foot birdie putt on the final hole.

"I took the advantage of the par-5s," said Cink, who played the long holes at 4-under. "I had two three-putts today and that is something I have been trying to avoid. I was a victim of getting above the hole. That's something I have to avoid if I want to finish strong."

O'Meara, who shot 67s in his first two rounds, shot a 65 today at PGA West. Defending champion John Cook, who also played PGA West, carded a 68 today, but is 16 shots off the pace at 5-under through three rounds.

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

The five-round event is being played on four par-72 courses in Southern California -- Indian Wells, La Quinta, Bermuda Dunes and the PGA West Course.

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.