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.

Fourth Round Report

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

Lietzke catches Magee to share fourth round lead

Bermuda Dunes, California, 17th January. 1998 - Bruce Lietzke tied the course record at PGA West with a blistering 10-under-par 62 to move into a tie for the lead with Andrew Magee after four rounds of the $2.3 million Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, a 90-hole event played on four courses in the Southern California desert.

Lietzke, the second-round leader who won this event 17 years ago, was six shots behind Magee heading into today's round, but matched the 62 at PGA West previously posted by Tom Kite in 1993 and Scott Hoch in 1994. He moved to 25-under 263 along with Magee, the leader after the first and third rounds.

Magee, who held a four-shot lead after Friday's round, shot a 4-under 68 today at the Bermuda Dunes course, where Sunday's final round will be played. His last win was at the 1994 Northern Open.

Fred Couples and Steve Jones are now tied in second place at 22-under 266, while PGA Tour Rookie of the Year Stewart Cink, Mark O'Meara and David Duval are four shots behind the lead. Bob Tway, Fuzzy Zoeller and Brad Fabel are next at 19-under 267.

Lietzke's iron play was simply outstanding, leading to his 10 birdies. His bogey-free round consisted of eight birdies inside of four feet and a measley 21 putts.

"21 putts for the day, that will tell you how my day went," Lietzke said. "The greens I hit I was hitting close, real close, and missing nothing in short range."

At 46 years, six months, Lietzke is trying to become the oldest winner on the PGA Tour since a then 48-year-old Hale Irwin took the title at the MCI Classic in 1994. Lietzke, whose last victory came at the 1994 Las Vegas Invitational, is already at 25-under after winning this event with that same total in 1981.

Lietzke opened his fourth round on the back nine and recorded five straight birdies, starting at the 13th hole. He appeared headed for six in a row at the 18th when his approach shot was flying towards the pin. The shot actually cannoned off the flagstick and nearly went into the water. Typical to his day, Lietzke chipped to within five feet and made the putt to save par.

"You can't get excited when you make birdies here because everyone else made one, too," said Lietzke, who shot a 65 at Bermuda Dunes on Wednesday. "It's tough to follow up a real low round with another low round, but what I have to do is shoot another low round tomorrow. For me and my game, Bermuda Dunes always plays easier than the others."

Magee also started on the back side but came away with a rather lackluster round after firing a 63 Wednesday and a 64 on Friday. He parred his final eight holes to drop into a tie for the lead.

"I felt like I was on the edge of something good," Magee said. "I had a lot of opportunities, but didn't make them."

"I'm not surprised somebody caught me, this is the Bob Hope. People shoot 10-under par everyday. I just had a month and a half off, so I'm loose, but there's definitely pressure. We've got one day left in this shootout, and I'm juiced that I have a chance."

Magee, who had set a 54-hole record with his 21-under par, posted second-place finishes last year at the Greater Vancouver Open and B.C. Open.

Couples fired a 6-under 66 at Indian Wells and Jones recorded a 7-under 65 at La Quinta to tie for second. Couples, whose only victory since 1994 came at The Players Championship in 1996, is looking to improve upon his strong 66 at Bermuda Dunes on Friday.

Paul Goydos, Mark Wiebe, Bob Estes and David Toms are also in the hunt at 18-under. Mark Calcavecchia and Tommy Toles are eight shots back.

Defending champion John Cook stumbled to a 72 at Bermuda Dunes today and missed the cut, finishing at 5-under.

Others missing the cut of 9-under included Peter Jacobsen, Jim Furyk, Kite, Hoch, John Daly and Gabriel Hjerstedt.

The 68-year-old Arnold Palmer, a five-time winner of this event, came in last place at 15-over.