Some new leaders (you haven’t heard of) at Bob Hope Classic
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It’s starting to rain now at the Bob Hope Classic and the new leader in the clubhouse is Shane Bertsch, a 39-year-old who has made 62 cuts in 132 PGA events and who happened to shoot 62 on Wednesday in the first round of the five-round Bob Hope Classic. And just as Bertsch finished, rain began, so the guys left on the courses may have trouble topping Bertsch’s 10-under-par score.
Two shots behind Bertsch is 25-year-old Alex Prugh, a former University of Washington golfer who is playing in only his third PGA Tour event. Mike Weir, the highest-ranked golfer (37th in the Official World Golf Ranking) in this undistinguished field, filed a score of 67, five off the lead. Defending champion Pat Perez, who played the Silver Rock Resort course, finished six shots back with a 68.
Prugh said the weather conditions were ever changing even during his round. Prugh played the Nicklaus Private at PGA West course and said, ‘I was walking off nine, we had a little wind, kind of coming off the right. And then all of a sudden I walk up 10 and there’s a wait. I see Vaughn Taylor sitting there and I thought, ‘Great, he’s waiting.’ And it starts blowing and it’s right into the wind and I’m like, ‘This 238 carry is going to be a little more difficult than I was expecting.’ I made it by about six inches.’
-- Diane Pucin