LA QUINTA, Calif. Fred Funk, coming off his first million-dollar year, shot a 4-under-par 68 today to take the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic lead as swirling wind delayed the start of the second round and also took a toll on some players.

John Daly, looking for his first victory since 1995, fired a 66 that left him tied with Bo Van Pelt and Tom Pernice at 9-under, two shots behind Funk. It was Daly's lowest round in almost a year.

Van Pelt had a 70 and Pernice, who shared the first-round lead, matched par 72.

John Huston and Ben Bates, who began the second day of the 90-hole tournament tied with Pernice at the top, struggled a bit but remained in contention. Huston had a 73 and Bates a 74.

Scores usually are very low in the Hope, a five-day event that is played on four courses the first four days. Gusting wind, however, delayed the start of the round by an hour at all the courses, then made playing them considerably trickier.

"It was brutal everywhere," Daly said.

Funk agreed.

"It was really blowing; it was pretty tough. There were holes that were really, really difficult because the wind was blowing the wrong way," Funk said. "On No. 13, the par-3, we had a four-group backup because nobody knew what to hit.

"There was stuff all over the greens from the wind, so it was very difficult."

Among those who had problems were defending champion Fred Couples, who had a 75 to go to 3-over for the tournament.

Jonathan Kaye, who had an opening 64 that was one shot off the lead, ballooned to a second-round 83.

Remaining in contention was Jeff Sluman, last week's winner in Hawaii. He recorded his second 68 and was tied with Huston and Steve Pate, who had a 70.

David Duval shot a 71 and was 3-under, leaving him eight shots off the pace with 54 holes to go.

Funk, who earned $1.1 million in 1998 to go over the million-dollar mark for the first time in a tour career that began in 1982, is off to a fast start in 1999.

Although he said he's usually a slow starter, he tied for fifth in the season-opening event, then tied for 12th last weekend in Hawaii.

"I don't play well early in the year," he said. "If you look at my history, I never got started before May. Now I'm just trying to be solid."

Daly was pleased with his round.

"I think I only missed one green and for me to do that when the wind is blowing this hard on a pretty tight golf course, that gives me confidence to say, 'Hey, I can play some tight golf courses every now and then.' "

NOTES: Daly's amateur partners were Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley and former NFL wide receiver Roy Green. Jordan, hitting off the men's tees in front of the pro's tees, hit a few drives almost as far as Daly. "Mike was playing exceptionally well, Roy hit it OK, and we're trying to straighten Charles out with that break dance move on his backswing," Daly said. "I hadn't seen Mike hit in about five years, and the thing that impressed me was how well he is putting the ball." ... Daly has not had a bogey in either of his first two rounds, the only player in the field to accomplish that. He has nine birdies and 27 pars. .... Paul Azinger also had a 66 to move from 104th place to a tie for 18th. ... Funk's 68 was his seventh score in the 60s in 10 rounds this year.