The Live Report, Round 4: The 50th Bob Hope Classic

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Steve Stricker set a 72-hole scoring record Saturday, playing the first four rounds of the Bob Hope Classic in 33 under.

The 50th Bob Hope Classic hosted by Arnold Palmer is the first tournament of the West Coast swing this season. PGATOUR.COM's The Live Report will provide updates all day long for each of the five rounds, so check back often. (All timestamps listed for Eastern Time.) LIVE ESSENTIALS: Shot Tracker -- follow every shot | Live Scoring -- in real time | PGA TOUR Network -- SIRIUS 209/XM 146

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NEXT LEVEL ON STRICKER (9:00 p.m.): Here's a closer look at Steve Stricker's 33 under:

· Stricker carded his third round at 65 or under on the week. His score of 123 over the past two days is a new two-day record for him (and on the PGA TOUR). Previously, 130 was his best with a TOUR record of 124 for two consecutive rounds. He achieved the former during the second and third rounds of the 2003 Phoenix Open.

· Over the past two days, Stricker has found the green 32 out of 36 times (88.88 percent). This ties his previous record over the course of two consecutive days from the 1999 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic when he hit 88.88 percent of greens in regulation over the third and fourth rounds.

· Stricker needs a 68 or better in Sunday's final round to beat the tournament record of 324 (set by Joe Durant in 2001).

· His current streak of holes at par or better is 39 and counting.

· Since 1983, only one other player has been able to follow-up a round of 61 with a 62 or better. In 2001, Craig Barlow accomplished that with a 61-62 at the Last Vegas Invitational.

STRICKER SPEAKS (8:00 p.m.): There may have been no one more surprised at Steve Stricker's record-setting, four-day total of 33 under than, well, Stricker himself. This course suits his game well, but Stricker hasn't played here since 2004. He's playing the tournament this year as a bridge between Hawaii and the rest of the West Coast Swing events. Oh, and Stricker also ranked 136th in birdie average (see: Stricker Ready to Win Again, below). -- Brian Wacker

Here are some quotes from Stricker's press conference. For more, and other transcripts, click here.

Q. What does 33-under sound like to you? Having been out here for a long time, does it sound like an incredible number, a number you would have taken for the whole tournament going in?

STEVE STRICKER: Yeah, to tell you the truth I haven't even thought about 33-under par. I've just been thinking about each hole as it comes. We did -- when we flew over from Hawaii, Joe Durant was on my flight, and I asked Joe what his winning score was here, and he said 36-under. And I'm like, 'That's unbelievable.' It almost seems like that you can't reach that goal. But here we are. We're one day away from making, maybe breaking that record, which is incredible. But the weather's been great out here, the courses are in good shape, the greens are slow enough where you don't have to worry about putts getting away from you, and it's just a number. And you're just trying to play as good as -- at least I have been, I've just been trying to play each hole the best I can.

Q. The old adage is it's tough to follow up a low round. This week we saw a guy shoot 61, and then follow it up with a 63, and now I'm seeing what you've done the last two days. Does all that stuff just go out the window here? Does all the other rules just go out the window at the Hope?

STEVE STRICKER: I think it's just you got to have a different mentality here, and that's one reason why I usually don't play here is I don't have that mentality of shooting low a lot of times. I came here this year with a little bit different attitude. I've been playing well, I feel good about my game, and I wasn't putting any number on anything. I wasn't going out and saying, You know what, I need to shoot 5-under today, or 6-under today, or 7-under today; I was just going to go out and see what I could do, and take one shot at a time. I know it's a statement that we make over and over, but that's all I'm trying to do is try to simplify it and take one shot at a time and go on and go from there.

FROM THE INTERVIEW ROOM (7:20 p.m.): Pat Perez has always been one of the more talkative players on the PGA TOUR and Saturday was no different. Here are some highlights from his post-round interview. Keep in mind this took place before Steve Stricker actually took over the lead from Perez and set a new TOUR record in the process. -- Brian Wacker

Q. You had the lead after two rounds, you shoot 67, 67, in rounds three and four, and yet you can't create any separation in this field. Is that pretty much what you expected or had you hoped that you might pull away at this point?

PAT PEREZ: No, I'm certainly not surprised. Look at the courses, it's easy. Not that it's easy, but it's just, you know, these guys aren't amateurs I'm playing against. So a guy like Stricker, these guys know how to play. So I'm not surprised in the least. I told you earlier, I think the score is going to be 35-under par, so that's where it's going.

Q. It would seem like with two rounds of 61, or 60 even, on the Palmer Course, that this might set up better for you with better feelings about the golf course. Do you feel confident coming over here as opposed to maybe going to another course?

PAT PEREZ: Oh, 100 percent I do. But obviously, the pins are going to be a fraction more difficult tomorrow. They will probably be in tougher spots, so -- but I love that course. That back nine is one of my favorites of all time. So if I can get through the turn and go to the back nine, I feel pretty confident going to that back nine.

ANOTHER RECORD FALLS (7:10 p.m.): That didn't take long. Pat Perez held the PGA TOUR record for back-to-back lowest rounds for all of about 24 hours thanks to Steve Stricker's 62 today, after a 61 yesterday. He also set the TOUR record for lowest 72-hole total (see Low Numbers, below).

Stricker's missed just four greens in the last 36 holes, has continued to roll his putter incredibly well with 11 one-putts each of the last two days and has just one bogey for the tournament all on the way to grabbing a three-shot lead at 33 under.

Perez, in case you forgot, opened the tournament with rounds of 63-61. -- Brian Wacker

Here's a look at Stricker's card from today:

STRICKER'S FINAL ROUNDS (7:00 p.m.): Steve Stricker will have some pressure on him tomorrow as the new leader, not to mention being the highest ranked player in the field at No. 16 in the world.

That said, here's a breakdown of Stricker's five best final rounds from 2008. He didn't win, but he did have a runner-up at the Mercedes-Benz Championship among his six top 10 finishes. Stricker's last win, by the way, came at the 2007 Barclays, where he birdied four of the final five holes to overtake K.J. Choi. He ended 2007 by being named the PGA TOUR's Comeback Player of the Year.

Now to his best final rounds of last year ... -- Brian Wacker

LOW NUMBERS (6:41 p.m.): As Steve Stricker closes in on what looks like will be a PGA TOUR record for lowest 72-hole total, here's a look at the previous mark. -- Brian Wacker

PARNEVIK PLAYS ROUND OF THE DAY (6:25 p.m.): Jesper Parnevik, who won here in 2000, is likely headed home despite a round of 61 today that included five straight birdies to close out a back-nine 29 on the Palmer Course at PGA West. Parnevik is 14 under through four rounds, but right now the cut line is 15 under.

Opening rounds of 72-73 is what did Parnevik in here. The 43-year-old Swede, however, will be in the field each of the next two weeks thanks to sponsors exemptions. He's playing without a TOUR card at the moment and chose not to use a one-time top 50 career money exemption for 2009, but because he's a past champion he can receive unlimited sposnor exemptions. -- Brian Wacker

Here's a look at Parnevik's card from today:

NOT LOW ENOUGH (6:05 p.m.): It is hard not to feel bad for David Duval and James Nitties. Along with notables Steve Elkington and Harrison Frazar, they played the first 72 holes of the Bob Hope Classic in 14 under. Nitties got to 14 under by shooting 62 on Saturday. Unfortunately, that won't be good enough to play on Sunday because the current cut line is 15 under and has a chance to move to 16 under before Saturday is done.

Fifteen under would have won 23 events in 2008. Moreover, it would have gotten into a couple of other playoffs. Perhaps those comparisons are unfair because the Hope is not a typical event.

One thing is certain, however . If any of these players get to 14 under again this year they will be playing in the final round. Heck, they may even find themselves in the winner's circle. But this week they're packing their bags with hopes of better weeks to come, if not better scoring. -- John Maginnes

PEREZ HAS ONE MORE HILL TO CLIMB (5:49 p.m.): Pat Perez is in with his second straight 67 and still has the lead -- for now.

Whether he keeps the lead or not, let's take a look at Perez's final-round performances last year, when he ranked 20th on the PGA TOUR with a final-round scoring average of 70.20. -- Brian Wacker

Here are Perez's top 5 final rounds from 2008:

STRICKER READY TO WIN AGAIN? (5:13 p.m.): Steve Stricker won the 2007 Barclays, but before that hadn't tasted victory since the 2001 season at the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship.

But after six top 10s last season, including a runner-up at the Mercedes-Benz Championship, which he lost in a dramatic four-hole playoff, Stricker is in position to win again. He's just one shot back of leader Pat Perez at the moment and still has five holes to play.

What's not surprising is that Stricker is tied for the lead in birdies this week -- something that you need to do well in at this tournament. What is surprising is that you wouldn't expect that out of Stricker because he ranked 136th in birdie average on the PGA TOUR last season. He's also tied for ninth in greens in regulation and tied for third in putts per round this week.

None of this should be all that shocking, however. Remember, Stricker was a deserving captain's pick for the U.S. Ryder Cup team and finished the year ranked 14th in the FedEx Cup standings and at one point was ranked third in the world before finishing 17th. -- Brian Wacker

GARRIGUS HAVING STRONG SHOWING (4:53 p.m.): Quick question: Who ranked second on the PGA TOUR in driving distance last year? If you said J.B. Holmes, you'd be wrong. The answer is Robert Garrigus.

So far this week, Garrigus is doing more than hitting it deep. Fully exempt this season via a sixth-place finish at q-school, Garrigus is currently in third at 25 under. Not surprisingly, he leads the field in driving distance at better than 325 yards off the tee, but he's also T19 in greens in regulation this week and T25 in putts per green in regulation. -- Brian Wacker

STROUD IN STRIDE (4:30 p.m.): Chris Stroud is hoping the third time is the charm. That's how many years in a row the soon-to-be 27-year-old Texan has earned his PGA TOUR card via q-school, finishing T4 there at the end of last year.

Stroud could be headed for his best career finish on TOUR if he keeps playing the way he is right now. Through 15 holes today, he's 3 under; and 24 under for the week and in a tie for fourth. His previous best finish was a T5 at the 2007 Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

Stroud also shot his career-low round Thursday, a 63 on Bermuda Dunes.

Last year, Stroud made a late run at the top 125 on the money list, but fell short at 155th, despite a T6 at the Valero Texas Open and a T10 at the Children's Miracle Network Classic. -- Brian Wacker

INSIDE THE NUMBERS (4:05 p.m.): Want to know a big reason Pat Perez is out in front this week? Aside from ranking 14th in driving distance at 307.7 yards, Perez's greens in regulation is at just under 85 percent, good for 11th in the field.

But here's a real key in this birdie-friendly event: Perez is tied for ninth in the field when it comes to going for the green, and he's first when it comes to making birdie or better when going for the green. He also leads the field in scrambling.

Right now, Perez is 4 under for the day with birdies on his last two holes, Nos. 11 and 12. -- Brian Wacker

Here's a look at some other key numbers this week for Perez:

NOTABLE NAMES (3:45 p.m.): The projected cut right now is 14 under and that could leave some big names in, or out, of the picture come tomorrow's final round.

David Toms, even par through six holes on the Nicklaus Course today, is just one stroke better than that number, while 1999 Bob Hope Classic champ David Duval is on the outside looking in at 13 under at the moment (he's 3 under through 11 at SilverRock). Toms, of course, shot a final-round 59 here that year, capping his victory with an eagle on the 18th.

Chad Campbell is also one off the projected cut line, but that's better than last week. Campbell showed up at the Sony Open in Hawaii not realizing he hadn't signed up for the tournament. -- Brian Wacker

STRICKER STICKING AROUND (3:25 p.m.): Steve Stricker is 1 under through his first five holes on the Nicklaus Course and hanging around three strokes back of leader Pat Perez.

This is somewhat uncharted territory for the Wisconsin native. His 61 yesterday bested his previous career-low round of 62 at the 2001 and 2003 Phoenix Open (on a par 71 course).

Also, Stricker's three-day total of 193 bettered his previous best by five strokes. Ironically, the two times his 54-hole total equaled 198, Stricker didn't win, finishing second at the 1998 Greater Milwaukee Open and third at the 2007 BMW Championship. -- Brian Wacker

PARS CONTINUE FOR PEREZ (3:00 p.m.): Pat Perez is in the midst of his sixth career round at Bermuda Dunes, where he just made the turn in 2-under 34 with birdies on No. 1 and No. 8. Interestingly, Perez has never birdied Nos. 4, 5, 6 and 9 on the course.

Perez has also only led through three rounds once before in his career. That was at the 2002 Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, where he finished second after a triple-bogey on the 18th dropped him from a one-shot lead to a three-shot loss to Matt Gogel. -- Brian Wacker

FOURTH ROUND UNDER WAY (2:45 p.m.): The fourth round of the five-round Bob Hope Classic is well under way and Pat Perez is still holding onto his lead -- actually he's increased it a shot to three since the start of play today.

Perez is playing Bermuda Dunes today. Here's a look at how he's fared there, compared to PGA West's Palmer Course. -- Brian Wacker

Pat Perez on PGA West (Palmer Course) and Bermuda Dunes

Course Number of Rounds Average Hi Low PGA West (Palmer Course) 7 -1.71 +5 (2005) -12 (2006) Bermuda Dunes 5 -4.8 -1 (2004) -11 (2004)

Groups We're Watching

Tee time Player   1:27 p.m. ET (10:27 a.m. in California) Pat Perez (Bermuda Dunes) Perez continues his quest for a PGA TOUR victory on the Bermuda Dunes track. He carded an 11-under-par score there in 2004, so it looks like he will go low again on Saturday. 1:36 p.m. ET (10:36 a.m. in California) Steve Stricker (Nicklaus Course) He set a personal best when he only needed 193 shots through 54 holes. His previous 54-hole low was 198 strokes. He's scored that low twice, but both times did not go on to win. 12:42 a.m. ET (9:42 a.m. in California) Tom Pernice Jr. (Silver Rock) Pernice, who turns 50 later this year, is tied for eighth after three rounds and would have been lower if not for two late bogeys -- his only two of the week -- on Friday.

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