Aiming High, Kraft, Beem Shoot Low

PALM DESERT —  After two rounds of the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, the leaders are Kraft and Beem. What is this, the America’s Cup?

Well, actually, no it isn’t, although the scores did sink again like a big, fat rock in Thursday’s second round.

Let us introduce you to the co-leaders. Greg Kraft, 35, is from Clearwater, Fla., and Rich Beem, 29, is from El Paso. Obviously, they share all the delights associated with wrecking golf courses in the desert, judging from their 36-hole totals of 130.

They are one shot ahead of six others, a group that includes first-round leader David Toms as well as Andrew Magee, Bob Tway, Brent Geiberger, Barry Cheesman and J.L. Lewis.

But numbers, not necessarily names, are the story so far. There were 81 players who posted scores in the 60s, or roughly three-quarters of the pro field.

Because of this, the players know exactly what is expected of them.

“The cut is probably going to be about 15 under,” Olin Browne said after his 67 at Bermuda Dunes. “That’s the way it goes out here, isn’t it?”

Sort of.

“Any time you make a bogey, you feel like you made triple,” Brown said.

Sort of.

“It’s certainly a long haul and there are two ways to look at it,” Brown said. “One, you’ve got another chance to make it up. Or, two, you can be miserable.”

Absolutely.

In fact, though, misery was in short supply during the second round, which ended with exactly 35 players within five shots of Kraft and Beem.

There are those names again. Beem is judged to be the more successful of the two, on the basis of his victory last year at the Kemper Open, which earned him a nomination as PGA Tour rookie of the year. Carlos Franco won it, but he’s not playing here, so he doesn’t count.

Beem absolutely blistered the Palmer Course at PGA West with a nine-under 63, which looked pretty good until Cheesman turned in his card and had to wear oven mitts because there was a 62 at the Palmer Course written on it.

As for Kraft, his 65 at Indian Wells featured a stretch of four consecutive birdies, from No. 5 through No. 8, which helped his disposition greatly. But there is that nagging reality about how long a 90-hole event actually is.

“I know I have to keep making birdies and it’s a long week,” Kraft said. “I know it’s not even close to being over, [but] I’ll just wait until the last nine holes on Sunday and see if I’m still around and what might happen.”

The way things are going, the last nine holes on Sunday seem a year away, but that does give some of the bigger names time to get close. David Duval produced a 67 at the Palmer Course and stayed in touch of the leaders at 135. Davis Love III is a shot back after posting a 70 at Bermuda Dunes.

Justin Leonard is eight shots off the lead and Phil Mickelson is nine shots back at 139 in a group with Casey Martin.

Closer to the top, Browne, Brian Henninger and Neal Lancaster are two shots back at 132. Peter Jacobsen, who had a 64 at La Quinta, is in a group of five at 133.

Martin’s round of par-71 at Bermuda Dunes was uneventful, if you don’t count his unusual par at No. 18. His second shot bounced off the roof of the temporary stands, then trampolined off another tent. After a free drop, he chipped onto the green and two-putted.

He wound up with one birdie and one bogey.

“Pretty boring,” he said.

“When you’re hitting the ball well and not making putts, oh, yeah, I was pressing,” Martin said.

There may be a lot more pressing going on today, mainly because the pressure is on to shoot low scores. Something in the mid- to low-60s will be fine, but anything else and you’re going to be losing ground. That’s not exactly a secret around here.

“You shoot 69 and you start thinking, ‘What did I do wrong?’ ” Browne said.

Not much this time.

The Leaders

BOB HOPE CHRYSLER CLASSIC

Greg Kraft: 65c-65b--130

Rich Beem: 67a-63d--130

David Toms: 63b-68a--131

Andrew Magee: 66c-65b--131

Bob Tway: 64b-67a--131

Brent Geiberger: 70c-61b--131

J.L. Lewis: 65b-66a--131

Barry Cheesman: 69a-62d--131

Brian Henninger: 66a-66d--132

Olin Browne: 65b-67a--132

Neal Lancaster: 64a-68d--132

Kirk Triplett: 69a-64d--133

Matt Gogel: 66d-67c--133

Paul Goydos: 64b-69a--133

Glen Day: 65a-68d--133

Peter Jacobsen: 69d-64c--133

Four courses are in use: the 6,829 yard, par 35-36--71 Bermuda Dunes (a), the 6,478 yard, par 36-36--72 Indian Wells (b), the 7,060 yard, par 36-36--72 La Quinta (c) and the 6,950 yard, par 36-36--72 PGA West (d).

* COMPLETE SCORES, PAGE 12