Five tied for lead in Hope

Associated Press

LA QUINTA, Calif. — Duffy Waldorf rolled in eight birdie putts, didn't make a bogey and still had lots of company atop the leaderboard.

Waldorf's 8-under 64 in yesterday's opening round of the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic was only good enough to put him in a five-way tie for the lead.

Fred Funk, Robert Damron, Ted Purdy and Joe Ogilvie also opened the five-day, 90-hole tournament with 64s.

Fred Couples, the 1998 champion, had a 65 and was in another group of five in the desert tournament where scores traditionally go extremely low.

Defending champion Phil Mickelson, who also won the event in 2002, shot a 66 and was tied with six others.

Only 13 of the 128 players shot over par over the first 18 holes.

Mike Weir, the 2003 Hope champion, opened with a 71 and tied for 93rd.

The players rotate among four courses — Bermuda Dunes CC, Tamarisk CC, La Quinta CC and the Palmer Course at PGA West — for the first four days of the pro-am, then the low 70 pros and ties play the final round at PGA West on Sunday.

David Duval shot a 10-over 82 at PGA West, 23 shots more than he took when he won the tournament on the final day six years ago, when he shot a tour record-tying 59 on the same course.