NEW YORK, 28 January 2005 — Joe Ogilvie posted two eagles on the way to an eight-under-par 64, which put him in a five-way tie for the lead after the first round of the $4.7 million Bob Hope Classic on Wednesday.

Ogilvie recorded threes at the par-five second and 11th holes to join Ted Purdy, Duffy Waldorf, Fred Funk and Robert Damron at the top of the leaderboard as the 90-hole tournament got underway in La Quinta.

Four par-72 courses, the PGA West, Bermuda Dunes, Tamarisk and La Quinta, are being used in this week’s event in the Californian desert. Most of Wednesday’s leading scores came at the Tamarisk and at Bermuda Dunes.

Five players were one stroke off the pace on seven-under 65, 1998 winner Fred Couples, Franklin Langham, Nick Watney, Neal Lancaster and Britain’s Justin Rose.

Defending champion Phil Mickelson was among a group of seven golfers on 66. With the top four in the world rankings, No. 1 Vijay Singh, Tiger Woods, Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, all taking the week off, Mickelson holds top billing.

The left-hander beat Skip Kendall in a playoff here last year before going on to land the US Masters in April.

Mickelson, playing on the Tamarisk course, made a sizzling start with birdies on three of his first six holes, the 12th, 13th and 15th. He also picked up shots at the 18th; first, sixth and seventh but bogeyed the second.

Canada’s Mike Weir, the winner here in 2003, started out with a one-under 71. David Duval, who produced a closing 59 to lift the title in 1999, stumbled to a 10-over 82.

Montgomerie Charges Three

Shots Clear in Singapore

Defending champion Colin Montgomerie started his season with a superb seven under par 65 opening round in the Singapore Masters yesterday.

Montgomerie could not contain his delight as he produced a flawless display in hot and humid conditions on the Laguna National course where he claimed the title 12 months ago.

The 41-year old Scot, determined to improve his flagging world ranking, finished three strokes clear of Malaysia’s Danny Chia and the England pair of Mark Foster and Nick Dougherty.

England’s Lee Westwood birdied his first two holes on the way to a two under par 70, while Dane Thomas Bjorn carded a 72.

Montgomerie arrived in Singapore from Dubai where he acclimatized by spending nearly a week working on his game under the watchful eye of coach Denis Pugh. He then stopped over in India for a day to take part in a tsunami disaster charity golf day in Bombay before arriving in Singapore to defend his only title success of 2004.

Despite the draining conditions, Montgomerie could not have been happier with his efforts. “That was very good, even for me,” he said.

“I came out from Dubai early for four days and really enjoyed myself there playing on my own course and then came here to Singapore so the jet lag wasn’t the same as it usually is,” added Montgomerie, who has slipped to 82 in the world. “I prepared myself properly and I have never been happier really, I suppose, on and off the course.

“I really feel this is a fantastic start to the New Year.”

Montgomerie birdied three of the four par threes and ended each nine with scores of two and three on his card. “I have always really prided myself in the number of twos I have had in a round, and I must have made an inordinate number in my career,” he said.

Dougherty arrived in Singapore after a superb share of fourth in last week’s South African Open where he ended with rounds of 68 and 66.

The 22-year old continued that form in Singapore with a round that included five birdies.

Sweden’s Nicklas Fasth returned to the European Tour with an embarrassing nine over par 81 that included a quintuplet bogey, two double bogeys, two bogeys and two birdies.

Fasth, a member of the victorious 2002 European Ryder Cup team, lost his US Tour card last year and is returning to compete full time on the European Tour’s International Schedule.

England’s Sam Osborne ended the first round of his inaugural professional event with a two-stroke penalty after one of the 23-year-old’s playing partners reported last year’s Berkshire Trophy winner for taking a practice swing in a bunker.