Britain's Justin Rose had to settle for a share of the lead with American Lucas Glover after an erratic finish to the fourth round of the Bob Hope Classic in Palm Desert, California.
Bidding for his maiden PGA Tour title, Rose bogeyed two of his
last five holes for a two-under-par 70 at the Classic Club, one of
four courses hosting the 90-hole pro-am celebrity event.
That left him on 20-under 268, level with Glover who charged
into contention with an eight-birdie 65 at La Quinta Country Club.
"I three-putted twice coming in and that really slowed my
momentum," said Rose after mixing six birdies with four bogeys on a
crisp day of sunshine in the California desert.
"Overall, 70 is not a bad score and not a great score. But I
kept my nose in and around the lead and I'm in a good position
heading into the final round.
"I've been in contention a fair bit the last five or six
months and I'm feeling better and better with it every time I go
out there," added Rose, who ended a four-year title drought on the
European Tour by winning the Australian Masters last
November.
John Rollins carded a 67 at PGA West's Palmer Private course
to lie third at 18 under with fellow Americans Jeff Quinney, after
a 66 at La Quinta, and Charley Hoffman, who shot 68 at the Classic
Club, a further two strokes back in fourth.
US Ryder Cup player Scott Verplank, co-leader with Rose after
the second round, slipped back into a tie for 13th at 14 under
after bogeying three of his first seven holes en route to a 74 at
La Quinta.
Rose, two ahead overnight, made a fast start with birdies on
the first two holes and also at the par-four fifth.
Although he bogeyed the par-three sixth, he picked up another
shot at the eighth to reach the turn four ahead of the chasing
pack.
However, the 26-year-old Englishman played erratic golf over the
closing stretch. He found water off the tee at the 11th on his way
to a bogey-five and also dropped on 14 and 16, three-putting on
both occasions, to offset birdies at the 13th and 15th.
Glover, whose only PGA Tour victory came at the 2005 Walt
Disney Classic, birdied four of his last seven holes to tie Rose
for the lead.
"I got off to kind of a slow start but I really played solid
on the front and just turned in a good nine," said the 27-year-old
from South Carolina, who bogeyed his opening hole at La Quinta, the
par-four 10th.
"It was a little windy out there but you get a lot of short
putts if you're in the fairway. It was good."
Masters champion Phil Mickelson, Bob Hope Classic winner in 2002
and 2004, climbed into a tie for 19th at 13 under after firing a
nine-birdie 66 at Bermuda Dunes.
"I'm so far back," said the American left-hander, who is
playing his first tournament of the year. "The only way for me to
have a chance is if the leaders come back, so I've just got to go
out and play a good round tomorrow."
The fourth-round cut fell at six under with title-holder Chad
Campbell and former major champions Todd Hamilton, Ben Curtis, Mark
O'Meara, Steve Elkington and Justin Leonard among those missing
out.
Play was delayed by 30 minutes on three of the four courses
at the start of the day because of early morning frost.
The five-round tournament is the third stop on the 2007 PGA
Tour.