Stricker charges into Hope lead

Steve Stricker shot a 10-under-par 62 yesterday to overtake Pat Perez and rewrite a couple of PGA Tour records as he went to 33 under through four rounds of the birdiefest known as the Bob Hope Classic.

Eight shots behind Perez after 36 holes, Stricker shot 61 during the third round to move into contention, and his sparkling play on the fourth day in La Quinta, Calif., gave him a three-shot lead over Perez (67), the leader each of the previous rounds.

Stricker reached 33-under 255, bettering the Tour's 72-hole mark of 31 under set by Ernie Els in winning the 2003 Mercedes Classic.

Stricker's 61-62 also was a Tour low for consecutive rounds. Mark Calcavecchia set the record by shooting 60-64 in the 2001 Phoenix Open, and Perez tied it with his 61-63 start in the Hope.

Stricker and Perez may be dueling for the title over the final 18 holes, because the closest pursuers were Bubba Watson (63), Robert Garrigus (66), and Vaughn Taylor (68), seven shots back.

"I've done a lot of good things. I haven't made too many mistakes," said Stricker.

Champions - Brad Bryant shot a 7-under 65 to take a one-shot lead over Bernhard Langer (66) after two rounds in the Mitsubishi Electric Championship in Kaupulehu-Kona, Hawaii. Bryant birdied six of his first 10 holes and capped his round with a 10-foot birdie putt on 18 for a 15-under 129 total.

European - Alvaro Quiros had eight birdies for an 8-under 64 (16-under 200), leading Louis Oosthuizen (69) by one stroke after the third round of the Qatar Masters.

LPGA - Catriona Matthew, a 39-year-old Scot five months pregnant with her second child, shot a 3-under 69 to take a two-stroke lead over Kristy McPherson (71) after Round 1 of the HSBC LPGA Brazil Cup in Rio de Janeiro.