It’s No 61, but Durant Stays on Record Pace

David Duval, who shot a 59 on the Arnold Palmer course at PGA West two years ago, will be back there today for the fourth round of the five-round Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.

That 59 in the final round of the 1999 Hope enabled him to make up seven strokes on Steve Pate and win. He might have to shoot 59 each of the next two days to win the Hope this year.

Duval, playing Indian Wells on Friday, was expected to make up some ground on the field. But he struggled to 70 and is 10 strokes behind leader Joe Durant.

Yes, a two-under-par 70 in this tournament, played under ideal conditions on four immaculate courses, is struggling. It may take seven under to make the cut today.

Duval had a bogey-free streak of 51 holes end when he posted a five on the par-four seventh hole at Indian Wells.

Durant maintained his three-stroke lead on the field by shooting a five-under 67 on the Palmer course. He is at 23-under 193 after 54 holes, a tournament record. The old mark was 195.

Moving into second was Paul Stankowski, a native of Oxnard and former Texas El Paso All-American who shot a 65 at Bermuda Dunes. Kevin Sutherland, a former Fresno State star, is another stroke back after a 66 on the Palmer course.

The low round of the day belonged to Scott McCarron, a former UCLA golfer who had a 63 at Indian Wells. McCarron is eight strokes back at 201.

Durant, who has won once on the PGA Tour, the 1998 Western Open, had a 61 Thursday at Indian Wells to tie the course record and break out of the pack.

“Today was a little tough to follow yesterday,” he said. “I didn’t have quite the same rhythm.

“Any time you shoot a low round, the next day is always difficult. Today was no exception.”

Durant made the turn in 35 and had a four-under 32 on the back.

“All in all, I played solid, but not quite like yesterday.”

Durant had no answer to why the scores Friday were not as low as they were Thursday, when besides his 61 there were three 62s.

“It is a long tournament, a five-day tournament, and to sustain that kind of pace for five days is difficult,” he said.

“I played good at La Quinta Wednesday [he shot a 65], and yesterday I hardly missed a shot. But today, starting out, I was not as sharp.”

Durant, 36, has come a long way. He was a three-time NAIA All-American at Huntingdon College in Alabama and turned pro in 1987 but didn’t make in through qualifying school. He tried playing on some mini tours, then gave up golf altogether and went into the insurance business.

“Talk about the world’s worst salesman, you’re looking at him,” he said. “In the Durant house, pickings would be slim if I was counting on that insurance career.

“My wife [Tracey] was instrumental in getting me playing again, and I thank her for kicking me in the butt and getting me out there playing again. It was her that gave me the second life in golf.”

Stankowski topped off his 65 by chipping in from 20 feet for an eagle on the 513-yard 18th hole at Bermuda Dunes.

“I didn’t hit the ball really well today,” he said. “I didn’t hit it bad. I just didn’t hit it really close. But I made some good putts, a couple of good par saves, that chip-in there on the last hole and I ended up with a pretty good score.”

Stankowski and the other golfers know what they are in store for this weekend.

“Everybody knows you’ve got to shoot low,” said Stankowski, a two-time winner but not since the 1997 Hawaiian Open. “The greens out here are so perfect. The golf courses out here are beautiful. The weather is perfect.

“It’s a birdie-fest.”

The professionals play with amateurs again today on the four courses. Only the pros who make the cut after today’s round play the final round Sunday on the Palmer course.