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Leonard eyes second Hope title
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CommentPALM DESERT, Calif. — Justin Leonard fell into the common golf trap of thinking too much and tinkering with his game before he finally snapped out of it last summer.
Having regained his confidence and his game, Leonard has played extremely well this week in the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, with his 6-under 66 Saturday good for a four-shot lead in the event he won in 2005.
Having regained his confidence and his game, Leonard has played extremely well this week in the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, with his 6-under 66 Saturday good for a four-shot lead in the event he won in 2005.
Asked about his steady play and accurate ball-striking during the first four rounds, he said, “Yeah, it’s because I don’t have a lot of conscious thoughts going on right now with my golf game.
“I know I’m not going to hit every shot perfect or the way I want to, but I know I’m going to hit a good number of them that way; not perfect, but the way I want to.”
“I know I’m not going to hit every shot perfect or the way I want to, but I know I’m going to hit a good number of them that way; not perfect, but the way I want to.”
Leonard went to 23-under 265 through 72 holes of the five-day Hope.
Anthony Kim (66), Kenny Perry (66), D.J. Trahan (70) and Robert Gamez (71) were tied for second at 19 under.
Anthony Kim (66), Kenny Perry (66), D.J. Trahan (70) and Robert Gamez (71) were tied for second at 19 under.
Former British Open champion Leonard said he wants to be steady again over the final 18 holes.
“I think that’s my real challenge, to just go out and play with the same confidence and attitude and demeanor that I’ve played with the last four days,” he said.
The first four rounds of the Hope are a pro-am played over four different courses. The low-scoring 70 pros and ties play the final round at the Classic Club.
Leonard began the fourth round in a second-place tie with Trahan, one shot back of Gamez. Leonard moved in front when he rolled in a 5-foot birdie putt on No. 13 to reach 20 under.
He hit a 4-wood from 247 yards to within 6 feet on the 561-yard par-5 14th and made that putt to widen his lead to three shots. He capped his day at the Classic Club with a 1-foot birdie putt on No. 18.
Gamez also played at the Classic Club. Kim was at La Quinta Country Club, and Trahan and Perry at PGA West.
The 22-year-old Kim, beginning his second full year on the tour, said Leonard’s lead is imposing, but not impossible to overcome.
“Four shots is a lot of shots. You never know what can happen, though,” Kim said. “Hopefully my game will be sharp and the birdies will come. I need to play well on the front nine and make some birdies on those holes.
“If I get off to that kind of start, I’ll be ready to go.”
Kim said he is a friend and admirer of Leonard’s, and Leonard thinks highly of him, too.
This year’s tournament is missing the top 23 players in the world rankings, but Leonard’s name provides some star power. He has won 11 times on the tour, including the 1997 British Open.
Champions Tour
• Doyle leads Funk atop MasterCard leaderboard
KAUPULEHU-KONA, Hawaii — Allen Doyle birdied the final two holes for a 6-under 66 and a one-stroke lead over Fred Funk in the MasterCard Championship.
Doyle holed a 26-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to finish at 15-under 129 in the winners-only tournament, the first of 29 Champions Tour events of the year.
Funk had a 63 to put himself in contention. First-round leader Tom Purtzer (69) and Jim Thorpe (68) were third at 13 under.
Jay Haas, seeking an unprecedented third straight money title and player of the year award, was alone at 12 under after a 67. Loren Roberts (65), Dennis Watson (66) and D.A. Weibring (69) followed at 11 under.
Women’s World Cup
• Inkster, Hurst tied for 10th in 20-team event
SUN CITY, South Africa — Jennifer Rosales and Dorothy Delasin shot a 4-under 68 in alternate-shot play to give the Philippines a share of the second-round lead with South Korea in the Women’s World Cup of Golf.
South Korea’s Ji-Yai Shin and Eun-Hee Ji finished with a 72 to match Rosales and Delasin at 11-under 133.
Americans Juli Inkster and Pat Hurst shot a 76 to drop into a tie for 10th at 3 under. The 20-team event will end Sunday with a better-ball round.
“I think that’s my real challenge, to just go out and play with the same confidence and attitude and demeanor that I’ve played with the last four days,” he said.
The first four rounds of the Hope are a pro-am played over four different courses. The low-scoring 70 pros and ties play the final round at the Classic Club.
Leonard began the fourth round in a second-place tie with Trahan, one shot back of Gamez. Leonard moved in front when he rolled in a 5-foot birdie putt on No. 13 to reach 20 under.
He hit a 4-wood from 247 yards to within 6 feet on the 561-yard par-5 14th and made that putt to widen his lead to three shots. He capped his day at the Classic Club with a 1-foot birdie putt on No. 18.
Gamez also played at the Classic Club. Kim was at La Quinta Country Club, and Trahan and Perry at PGA West.
The 22-year-old Kim, beginning his second full year on the tour, said Leonard’s lead is imposing, but not impossible to overcome.
“Four shots is a lot of shots. You never know what can happen, though,” Kim said. “Hopefully my game will be sharp and the birdies will come. I need to play well on the front nine and make some birdies on those holes.
“If I get off to that kind of start, I’ll be ready to go.”
Kim said he is a friend and admirer of Leonard’s, and Leonard thinks highly of him, too.
This year’s tournament is missing the top 23 players in the world rankings, but Leonard’s name provides some star power. He has won 11 times on the tour, including the 1997 British Open.
Champions Tour
• Doyle leads Funk atop MasterCard leaderboard
KAUPULEHU-KONA, Hawaii — Allen Doyle birdied the final two holes for a 6-under 66 and a one-stroke lead over Fred Funk in the MasterCard Championship.
Doyle holed a 26-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to finish at 15-under 129 in the winners-only tournament, the first of 29 Champions Tour events of the year.
Funk had a 63 to put himself in contention. First-round leader Tom Purtzer (69) and Jim Thorpe (68) were third at 13 under.
Jay Haas, seeking an unprecedented third straight money title and player of the year award, was alone at 12 under after a 67. Loren Roberts (65), Dennis Watson (66) and D.A. Weibring (69) followed at 11 under.
Women’s World Cup
• Inkster, Hurst tied for 10th in 20-team event
SUN CITY, South Africa — Jennifer Rosales and Dorothy Delasin shot a 4-under 68 in alternate-shot play to give the Philippines a share of the second-round lead with South Korea in the Women’s World Cup of Golf.
South Korea’s Ji-Yai Shin and Eun-Hee Ji finished with a 72 to match Rosales and Delasin at 11-under 133.
Americans Juli Inkster and Pat Hurst shot a 76 to drop into a tie for 10th at 3 under. The 20-team event will end Sunday with a better-ball round.
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