Ogilvie 9-under 63



Defending champion Phil Mickelson and Fredrik Jacobson tied for second.
LA QUINTA, Calif. (AP) -- Joe Ogilvie figured there would be some awfully low scores in the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.
"I'm just surprised that I did it," Ogilvie said. "You look at the history of golf; I don't think I'm going to be in any encyclopedias of golf."
Ogilvie crafted a 9-under 63 Thursday to take a three-stroke lead, with defending champion Phil Mickelson in pursuit. Mickelson, who also won the 2002 Hope, shot a 64 to tie for second at 14 under with Fredrik Jacobson of Sweden, who had a second-round 62 -- the best round of the tournament so far.
Fred Couples and Billy Mayfair were in a group of five at 13 under, four shots off the pace. Couples had a 66 and Mayfair a 64.
Ogilvie began the five-day tournament with a 64 and was at 17-under 127 for two rounds, the third most shots below par through 36 holes in PGA Tour history.
Tom Lehman was 19 under after two rounds at Las Vegas in 2001, and Joe Durant was 18 under on his way to winning the Hope earlier that year. Lehman's 125 total ties him with Tiger Woods and Mark Calcavecchia for low 36-hole score, with Woods' coming on a par-70 course and Calcavecchia's on a par-71 layout.
Rotating
Players rotate among four different courses the first four days of the 90-hole tournament, with some of the layouts more difficult.
"Mickelson shot a 64 today at La Quinta," said Ogilvie, who had his 63 at Bermuda Dunes. "I'd say technically he's probably leading. Score-wise, I am, but technically I'd say he's leading.
"That's Duke math," the former economics major added.
Mickelson used different math.
"I feel like I'm three back," he said.
Mickelson was very complimentary.
"I have a lot of respect for Joe Ogilvie on and off the course," he said. "I really like spending time with him because he's one of the more intelligent guys that we have on the tour. His golf game speaks for itself.
"He's ready to win now, and it's going to take all I can do to fight him off."
Ogilvie capped his round with a daring shot on No. 18, when he lofted a 5-wood over palm trees within 5 feet of the pin and made the putt for an eagle on the 543-yard par 5.
The 30-year-old Ogilvie is coming off a successful if unspectacular year on the tour. He earned $1.4 million, more than his previous four years combined.
His best finish is a tie for second last year at New Orleans.
Notes
Mickelson has repeated as champion three times, at Tucson in 1995-96, Torrey Pines in 2000-01, and Hartford in 2001-02. ... For the first time in a tour event, two sets of fathers and sons are playing -- Jay Haas and son Bill and Craig Stadler and son Kevin. Bill Haas was at 133 through 36 holes, five shots better than his father. Craig Stadler was at 135, seven shots better than his son.