PGA Tour Rookies Infiltrate Leader Board at Bob Hope

Sports News - January 24th, 2010 - Written By Bryan

PGA Tour rookies have been climbing up the leader boards to begin this 2010 season, and the theme continues at the Bob Hope Classic in La Quinta, California. Alex Prugh, a 25-year-old rookie, has surged to the front of the pack entering the final day of competition. The rookie has shown the consistency of a seasoned veteran, and carries a one-shot lead to Sunday.

The sun was finally visible on the fourth day of play at La Qunita Country Club, and Prugh took advantage of the vulnerable course conditions, firing a workman like 65. Bubba Watson and fellow Tour rookie Martin Flores trail Prugh by one shot. Weather caused play on Thursday to be canceled, so players have 36 holes remaining in the 90-hole, five-round tournament.

"I was almost bored with myself a little bit," remarked Prugh in a post-round interview. "It's not a bad thing. I was hitting the driver very well, and I kept on hitting fairway after fairway. Boring rounds are actually fine with me."

One thing that the young player will realize throughout his career is that a boring round is exactly what every player would like, though a 65 can hardly be construed as "boring".

Prugh credits his performance partially to the Pro-Am format of the tournament. He says it relaxes him more so than a regular event on the Tour. Helping his amateur playing partners keeps less focus and attention on his game.

"I'm just trying to entertain my amateur partners as well as I can, and hopefully they get their money's worth when they're out here," answered Prugh when asked of the Pro-Am style of format.

Flores has been equally as impressive as Prugh. He has yet to make a bogey in the tournament, an impressive statistic. His last bogey came on Sunday of the Sony Open last week.

"There's a first for everything, and I just seemed to be very comfortable in this situation for some reason," Flores said after his round. "I don't know why that is. I never want to come off as arrogant, but I'm just confident in my game, and I like that right now."

Flores and Prugh both competed on the Nationwide Tour last season and had success. Prugh collected victories at the New Zealand Open and received a PGA Tour exemption as a result of finishing in 16th place on the money list for 2009. Flores earned his Tour Card by carding a fourth place finish at the national qualifying tournament.

When asked of the competition level between the PGA Tour and the Nationwide Tour, Prugh didn't find it to be be much different through two weeks on the PGA Tour.

"The competition level is very similar," Prugh answered. "I think you're very well prepared after coming out of there."

Prugh and Flores have captured the attention of sports books such as Bodog. Currently Prugh is an 11/2 favorite to claim his first PGA Tour victory according to the Golf Betting Lines at Bodog sports book. Flores has been installed as an 11/1 favorite to win.

Coverage of the Bob Hope Classic can be seen on the Golf Channel beginning at 7pm EST.