Ames makes progress at La Quinta

LA QUINTA: Stephen Ames, Trinidad and Tobago’s world rated golfer, fired eight birdies including five on the front nine as he shot a seven-under, 65 at the US$4.7 million Bob Hope Chrysler Classic on Saturday. One day after he carded a four-under, 68 to make the cut of the event, Ames continued to make progress and Saturday’s performance left him sitting 39th in the leaderboard with an overall score of 15-under, 273. Ames, ranked number 21 in the world, started the day positively with a birdie on the par-5 opening hole, before doing similarly with the par-4, third hole.

Birdies then followed on the sixth, seventh and ninth holes. Ames found success on the back nine as well, firing a birdie on the par-3, 11th hole and despite bogeying the par-4, 15th, rebounded with birdies on the 17th and 18th to finish strongly. However Joe Ogilvie shot a three-under, 69 to maintain his lead in the tournament. After an ordinary front nine with just one birdie, Ogilvie found more rhythm on the back nine, sinking an eagle on the 11th and a birdie on the 14th. He is closely followed by Peter Lonard who also shot a three-under, 69 to be two strokes off the lead at 24-under, 264.  Justin Leonard is third on the board after shooting an eight-under, 64 to finish with an overall score of 23-under, 265.