Rose tied for lead

Justin Rose, bidding for his first US Tour victory, was tied for the lead with five holes to go at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic in windy California.

The 26-year-old, winner of the Australian Masters in his last start of 2006, shared top spot with Lucas Glover overnight. He leaped into a three-stroke advantage after the first two holes but struggled like most of the field in the difficult conditions.

After a double bogey on the fifth and bogeys at the seventh and eighth, Rose was caught by Jeff Quinney and Robert Allenby. When he followed a birdie at the 10th with further bogeys on two of the next three, it was American John Rollins who was alongside him.

They were both 16 under, one in front of Glover and Charley Hoffman. Rose was four over for the day, but the average score was approaching 75.

It is nine years now since the young English player captured the attention of the golfing world with his fourth-place finish as a 17-year-old amateur in the British Open at Birkdale.

He had a nightmare 21 successive missed cuts, after turning professional the very next day. He won four times around the world in 2002 and led the Masters at the halfway stage three years ago.

Rose, who crashed to a third-round 81 that week, has had a number of near misses in the States since then but has never had a better opportunity to win than this week.

There was no last-day charge from Masters champion Phil Mickelson. In his first tournament since the Ryder Cup last September, Mickelson resumed seven behind but double-bogeyed the 477-yard seventh to slump to joint 26th place.