Golf –PGA Tour:Shane Bertsch, who has bounced between the PGA Tour and its satellite circuit over the last 15 years, charged into a two-shot lead in the Bob Hope Classic first round in California last night.
Making the most of receptive greens at La Quinta on a surprisingly cool day in the desert, Bertsch fired a sizzling 10 under 62 on the Nicklaus Private course at PGA West, one of four venues hosting the five-round pro-am celebrity event.
Rookie Alex Prugh, making only his third appearance on the PGA Tour, and Jeff Quinney recorded matching 64s on the same Nicklaus layout.
Tour veteran JP Hayes launched his season in fine style with an eight-birdie 65 on the Palmer Private course, finishing level with fellow Garrett Willis, George McNeill and Joe Ogilvie.
Willis started out on the Nicklaus layout, McNeill began at La Quinta Country Club and Ogilvie toured the Palmer course.
"It was just one of those rounds where everything kind of flowed together," Bertsch, 39, told reporters after compiling successive loops of five-under 31 in a flawless display.
"I hadn't played the course since the late '90s. I didn't know really what to expect. I didn't do anything over the top great. My game was pretty solid all the way around."
The California coast is being battered by high winds and heavy rain this week and wet weather has been forecast for the next two rounds of the 90-hole event.
Players were permitted to lift, clean and place balls in the fairway for the opening round.
"It was moist, it wasn't wet," double PGA Tour winner Hayes said of the conditions. "It's probably more in anticipation of what might come than what was (there) today."
Pat Perez, who won last year's title by three shots, opened with a 68 at the SilverRock Resort, the most difficult of the four venues.
Canadian left-hander Mike Weir, the 2003 champion, opened with a 67 on the Palmer course while former world number one David Duval returned a 74 at the same venue.