Bob Hope Chrysler Classic: Second-Round Notebook  PGA TOUR Media Official PALM DESERT, Calif. -- Scott Verplank posted a 6-under 66 at The Classic Club on Thursday to jump into a share of the 36-hole lead with Justin Rose. Verplank is making his 16th start at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic. He has two top-5 finishes, including a runner-up finish in 2006. Last year Verplank shot 7-under 65 at the Classic Course in the third round and then fired a 1-over 73 in the final round to finish runner-up to winner Chad Campbell. • This is ninth time that Scott Verplank has held/shared the 36-hole lead in his career. The last time he was at the top was the 2006 Ford Championship at Doral (finished T15). Verplank has won twice (1985 Western Open, 1988 Buick Open) and been runner-up twice. He also has a third, fourth and fifth-place finish.  Justin Rose liked the look of the leader board. (Chris Carlson/AP)
• Justin Rose posted a 7-under 65 at LaQuinta Country Club on Thursday for a 12-under 132 total to share the second-round lead with Scott Verplank. Rose, who is searching for his first PGA TOUR win, has five international victories; including winning the MasterCard Masters in Australia back in November. Last year he finished T10 at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic his second appearance in Palm Springs. His best finish on the TOUR is a runner-up finish at the 2006 Valero Texas Open. • Rookie Johnson Wagner posted a bogey-free, 5-under 67 at Bermuda Dunes on Thursday and is one stroke back of leaders Scott Verplank and Justin Rose. Wagner, graduate of the 2006 Nationwide Tour, is making his third professional start on the PGA TOUR this week at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic. Wagner finished T34 last week at the Sony Open in Hawaii. His only other experience on the TOUR was when he qualified for the U.S. Open Championship in 2004 (missed cut). • First-round leader Robert Allenby fired a 2-under-par 70 at PGA West and sits just one stroke back of Scott Verplank and Justin Rose through two rounds. This is Allenby's fifth career start in this event with his T11 in 1999 and T12 in 2000 his only top-25 finishes. • Ryan Palmer posted the first hole-in-one of the season. He recorded his second career hole-in-one at the 168-yard, No. 17 at the Classic Course using an 8-iron. It is also the first in the history of the tournament at the Classic Course. Palmer's other hole-in-one came at the 2004 Booz Allen Classic. • Matt Kuchar, making his first career start at the BHCC, shot a 4-under 68 at LaQuinta CC. He is tied for fifth with John Rollins at 10-under 134, two strokes back of the leaders. • Joe Durant (Classic Club, Bermuda Dunes) is the only player to go bogey-free through two rounds at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic. • Players who were bogey-free on Thursday were Johnson Wagner, 67, The Classic Club; Shane Bertsch, 68, LaQuinta C.C.; Daniel Chopra, 67, The Classic Club; Joe Durant, 68, Bermuda Dunes; John Senden, 64, The Classic Club; Jeff Quinney, 69, The Classic Club; Jeff Sluman, 68, Bermuda Dunes; Kevin Stadler, 70, LaQuinta C.C.; Cameron Beckman, 69, The Classic Club; Stephen Leaney, 67, Bermuda Dunes; John Huston, 69, Bermuda Dunes; and Rich Beem, 69, PGA West. • Two-time tournament winner Phil Mickelson (2002, 2004) shot a 2-under-par 70. Mickelson had an eagle, three birdies and three bogeys at PGA West (Palmer Course). This is Mickelson's ninth career start at the BHCC and the 70 marks the 33rd straight round that he has posted a par-or-better score in this event. The last time he was above par at the BHCC was a third-round 76 in 1994. • Bubba Watson record two eagles in his round at PGA West (No. 11, No. 14) on Thursday. He started his round on the back nine and beginning on No. 11 he went eagle, par, birdie, eagle, par for five consecutive 3s on his scorecard. Copyright 2007 PGATOUR.com. All rights reserved. |
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