Perez shoots 11-under 61 for Hope lead

Pat Perez shot a 61 on Wednesday to take the lead in the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic on a warm, still day in the desert resort area of La Quinta, Calif., when his sparkling 11-under round was only good enough for a 1-shot lead. With playing conditions ideal, 2003 tournament champion Mike Weir and Bubba Watson opened the five-day tournament with 62s, and six players were another shot behind on the jam-packed leaderboard.

Perez, intimately familiar with how things can go in the low-scoring Hope, wasn't exactly doing handsprings over his round that was just 2 shots off the PGA Tour record of 59, last matched by David Duval in the final round of his 1998 victory on the same Palmer Course at PGA West. After all, Perez shot a first-round 60 in the tournament three years ago only to wind up 73rd and had a second-round 61 in 2003, when he tied for sixth. So he said he can't be too excited about his opening number this time.

"Because the number is 30 under, 30 plus," Perez said, noting what it often takes to win the Hope when conditions are good. "You don't try to get there too fast, you try to get there over five days. So, yeah, it's nice, it's a good round, the conditions are perfect. That's all."

- Associated Press