Leonard’s game blooms in the desert

The last time Justin Leonard was in these parts, the 35-year-old from Dallas missed the cut at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, the speed of his departure about the same pace as a Texas two-step.

Leonard is going somewhere fast again this week, speed-dialing a six-under-par 66 Saturday at the Classic Club, where he’ll take a four-shot lead into today’s fifth and final round of this 90-hole experience in golf course mugging.

Anthony Kim, who is tied for second with Robert Gamez, D.J. Trahan and Kenny Perry, said it’s not going to be easy to play catch-up.

“Four shots is a lot of shots,” said Kim, who had a 66 at La Quinta. “I look forward to chasing him down.”

As for Leonard, closing out a victory today would continue a professional turnaround that’s nothing short of remarkable. He began last year by missing six cuts, dropped to 210th in the rankings, reunited with swing coach Randy Smith and started piecing his game back together slowly.

Leonard, the 2005 Hope winner, eventually reverted to his natural approach as a “feel” player rather than being mechanical, and wound up winning at the Valero Texas Open. But after missing 12 cuts last year, he said there were plenty of difficult Friday nights.

“It was challenging,” Leonard said. “Also, I appreciate that time because it helped shape my character. I became a tougher person because of it.

“So I’m glad I went through that. I don’t want to go through it again. I don’t wish that on anybody.”

Leonard’s rounds of 68-64-67-66 and 23-under total of 265 give him enough of a cushion to cause a certain uneasiness in his closest challengers.

“Those of us that are chasing him kind of have to hope that he doesn’t run off with it,” said Trahan, disappointed he wasn’t able to improve on his two-under 70 at the Palmer Course at PGA West.

Perry, 47, won the Hope 13 years ago, and worked his way into the mix when he birdied the last hole at the Palmer Course at PGA West, finishing with a six-under 66.

Leonard began the fourth round a shot behind Gamez, stamped his brand on the lead when he eagled the 560-yard 14th, got lucky when he avoided the water with a bad three-wood off the tee at the 15th, then steered his way safely around the Classic Club.

Gamez’ biggest problems came early, but he might have gotten off to a better start if he had known where he was.

There’s a new routing at the Classic Club, and last year’s first and second holes are now the third and fourth, which is why Gamez wrongly headed for the third hole to start.

“It’s a little tough to get started sometimes,” he said.

That’s especially true if you don’t know where you’re going.

After a double bogey at the second and a bogey at the par-three eighth, Gamez could have disappeared, but he had four birdies on the back and stayed within shouting distance of Leonard with a 71.

“I got my bad round out of the way for sure,” he said. “If you’re going to have a bad round, 71 is not that bad. In this tournament it is. But lucky I had the lead starting, so I could get away with one.”

Kim, a La Quinta High grad, used his local knowledge to turn in a 30 on the back nine, his first nine holes, at La Quinta Country Club. He even held the lead briefly.

“I wish I had it right now,” he said.

The 22-year-old considers himself close to Leonard and often seeks him out to ask for advice. Both players live in Dallas and share the same agent, Rocky Hambric.

Leonard said Kim’s future is bright.

“Anthony is a smart kid, but he’s a kid,” Leonard said. “He’s too good to be a protege of anybody. He’s his own protege.”

Kim is playing his second full year on the PGA Tour and is the least experienced of those trying to run Leonard down. Steve Elkington, tied for sixth with Boo Weekley at 18-under 270, is 45. Gamez is 39, Trahan 27.

Even if he does trail Leonard in PGA Tour victories, 11-0, Kim said he doesn’t plan to back down: “At the end of the day, it’s really just golf, and it comes down to who gets the ball in the hole faster.”

So far this week, that player has been Leonard, who has had only three bogeys in 72 holes. Whether that’s enough of a trend to pay off, the answer is coming shortly.

--

thomas.bonk@latimes.com