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Golf to provide the entertainment

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Times Staff Writer

After four days of frost and frolic, the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic finally becomes a members-only event.

The celebrities have packed up their double bogeys; Huey Lewis is yesterday’s news.

Clint Eastwood, who once made a movie with an orangutan, picked up the banana peel he set on the No. 5 green as he lined up a putt.

Baseball star Roger Clemens, who shared a Saturday round with co-leader Justin Rose, said he doesn’t know if he’s playing baseball next year.

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“Nothing to report,” Clemens said behind the 18th grandstand at the Classic Club in Thousand Palms. “I’m so far away from even deciding on anything.”

Enough of that, it’s all about golf now.

The top 70 professionals will settle the final score today, at the Classic Club, and it could be interesting.

Justin Rose and Lucas Glover share the 72-hole lead at 20-under-par 268, with John Rollins two shots behind. Jeff Quinney and Charley Hoffman are four shots back at 16-under.

Rose, the 54-hole leader, shot two-under 70 in prime scoring conditions and let several players back in the race.

Rose, only 26, still has a lot to learn. The Englishman had a breakthrough win at the Australian Masters in November, yet still seeks the killer instinct that can push him to his first PGA Tour victory.

“It’s something that I guess comes with experience,” Rose said. “You know, the more times you’re there, the more times you get to feel comfortable in that position. That’s why guys like Tiger [Woods], Vijay [Singh], Phil [Mickelson], they generally finish off the job because it’s routine.”

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It wasn’t routine for Rose. He led by five after he jumped to 21 under by making birdies on three of his first five holes, but he finished with four bogeys on his last 13.

Maybe the weather was too nice. On Friday, Rose shot a 66, in frigid conditions, at PGA West. For the kid who grew up in England, it almost felt like home.

Rose did get acquainted with some of America’s sporting stars.

On Friday, he played with former football stars Marcus Allen, Jerome Bettis and Sterling Sharpe.

On Saturday, he traded shots with Clemens, who carries a four handicap.

Rose said he knew his playing partners were famous because of the entourages that followed his groups.

Football and baseball?

“They are not sports that I’m hugely familiar with, obviously, growing up in England,” Rose said. “But it’s amazing how big those sports are out here.”

Playing with David Beckham? Now that might have made Rose nervous.

Chad Campbell, the defending champion, finished at two-under 286 and missed the cut, which fell at six under.

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If this seems an anonymous-looking leader board, it might be because only one player in the field, Mickelson at No. 4, is ranked among the top 30 in the world golf rankings.

Mickelson, though, moved to the outskirts of contention after firing a six-under 66 at Bermuda Dunes.

He stands at 13 under, seven shots back of Rose and Glover.

“I’m so far back,” Mickelson said. “The only way for me to have a chance is if the leaders come back.”

Anything is possible, and you can bet the Golf Channel is hoping ratings-producer Mickelson can get off to a fast start today.

Mickelson, who started from the 10th tee at Bermuda Dunes, looked as if he might catch the leaders on his front nine after playing the first six holes at four under to get to 11 under. But he gave two shots back with a double bogey on the par-four 16th hole and went on auto pilot before finishing with birdies on three of his last four holes.

Glover shot seven-under 65 at La Quinta Country Club.

He is 27, played his college golf at Clemson and has one PGA win in his bag -- the 2005 Funai Classic.

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One career highlight was playing in the final twosome with Woods at last summer’s Buick Open. Glover started two shots behind Woods, but shot 72 and ended up tied for 15th.

Glover started Saturday on the 10th tee and made up five shots on Rose, his round getting kicked to overdrive with a 24-foot birdie putt on the par-four 16th.

“That got things going,” he said.

Glover shot five-under 31 on his back nine and, all the while, was watching the leaderboard.

“I do watch them,” Glover said. “I like to know where I stand and what I’ve got to do.”

Rollins, two shots back of the co-leaders, shot five-under 67 at PGA West.

He, too, noticed that Rose was suddenly spinning his wheels.

“I did notice coming down that I was one behind Justin at 20, and I assumed it was correct,” Rollins said of the leaderboard.

Rollins went nearly four years between tour wins before winning last year’s B.C. Open.

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chris.dufresne@latimes.com

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