Stricker strikes to the front after 62

GOLF:Steve Stricker fired a 10-under-par round of 62 to overhaul Pat Perez for the lead after four rounds of the Bob Hope Classic in California.

Sticker followed up Friday‘s dazzling 61 with 10 more birdies to turn a two-stroke deficit to Perez into a three-shot advantage over his fellow American and lead the field on 33-under-par.

Over the past two rounds, Stricker has recorded 21 birdies without dropping a shot.

After picking up four shots on the front nine, Stricker recorded consecutive birdies at the 12th and 13th before finishing his round with four-in-a-row.

Stricker was naturally delighted with the shape of his all-round game following his two low-scoring rounds.

“I’ve done a lot of good things. I haven’t made too many mistakes and I’ve been trying to make as many birdies as I can. And fortunately I have been,” he said.

“I’ve been driving the ball well, putting it in play, giving myself a lot of opportunities at birdies and I’ve been rolling the ball well. So we’ve got one more day and that’s what my sights are set on, to go out and play just as well tomorrow.”

Sticker also insisted he was unfazed by shooting such a low score over four days.

“To tell you the truth I haven’t even thought about 33-under-par. I’ve just been thinking about each hole as it comes,” he added.

“The weather’s been great out here, the courses are in good shape, the greens are slow enough where you don’t have to worry about putts getting away from you, and it’s just a number.

“And you’re just trying to play as good as I have been, I’ve just been trying to play each hole the best I can.”

Robert Garrigus, Bubba Watson and Vaughn Taylor are tied for third at 26-under.