Golf: Sizzling Perez leads Bob Hope

PALM DESERT, California - American golfer Pat Perez birdied his last three holes for a sizzling 12-under-par 60 to take a three-shot lead in the Bob Hope Classic first round today.

Playing on the Palmer Course at PGA West in bright sunshine, Perez put an overnight stomach bug behind him by reeling off 12 birdies in a blemish-free display.

Compatriot Chad Campbell, joint runner-up at last week's Sony Open in Hawaii, was alone in second place after firing a 63 at Bermuda Dunes Country Club, one of four par-72 courses being used in rotation for this week's 90-hole event.

Australia's Steve Elkington, winner of the 1995 US PGA Championship, was third after a 64 at La Quinta Country Club while Americans John Huston, Olin Browne and Tom Pernice junior were tied for fourth after carding matching 65s.

Huston and Browne played the opening round at Bermuda Dunes with Pernice junior starting at PGA West.

World No 5 and twice winner Phil Mickelson, the only member of the world's top-10 playing this week, opened with a 66 at La Quinta in his first event of the season.

A further stroke back on 67 was a bunch of players including defending champion Justin Leonard and 2003 winner Mike Weir of Canada.

Perez, who teed off in the first group of the day at the par-four 10th, conceded he had not known what to expect at the 47th Bob Hope Classic after suffering from food poisoning overnight.

"I didn't think it was going to be special today as I ate something bad and was up at 0430 this morning," the 29-year-old from Arizona said.

"I tried to go back to sleep after that and only slept about 20 minutes. But I hit a great drive down 10, made my birdie and thought: 'I feel pretty good."'

Perez set the tone for the lowest score of his PGA Tour career by picking up shots at three of the first four holes.

Further birdies followed on 15, 17 and 18 as he reached the turn in six-under 30.

Hitting his approach shots with radar-like precision in the gentle desert breezes, he then birdied one, two and four before signing off in style with his three-birdie finish.

Campbell, who holed out from a greenside bunker to eagle the par-five 13th at Bermuda Dunes, was delighted to maintain his form of last week.

Former world No 1 David Duval, who became the third player to shoot a 13-under-par 59 on the PGA Tour with his closing round at the 1999 Bob Hope, opened with a 69 at PGA West.

The US$5 million ($7.37 million) Bob Hope Classic is also being played over the new, 6679m Classic Club, the host venue in the four-course rotation.

- REUTERS