Daily Wrap-up: Bob Hope Classic, Round 2

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LA QUINTA, Calif. -- Jhonattan Vegas isn't exactly sure how his Venezuelan parents came up with the unusual spelling of his first name.

Second-round coverage

LONG ROAD TO LEAD: Jhonattan Vegas taught himself to play golf as a kid with rocks and a broomstick. Now the rookie is leading a PGA TOUR event. Story GOLF AND GRANT FUHR: Fuhr, an NHL Hall of Fame goalie, took a few minutes to talk about playing with Wayne Gretzky, who the best golfers in the NHL are and more.Story

BOB HOPE

Rd. 2 Scores
Rd. 3 Tee times
TOUR Report
Transcripts

KODAK CHALLENGE

This week's results
Images from No. 17
Interactive scorecards
Challenge schedule
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ROUND 2 VIDEO

Overton eagles
Howell birdies No. 17
Weekley's great shot
Interview: Vegas

If the 26-year-old rookie manages to keep up his swift start at the Bob Hope Classic, the golf world will have to memorize it quickly.

Vegas shot a 5-under 67 in windy conditions Thursday for a share of the second-round lead with Boo Weekley.

Weekley had a 66 to match Vegas at 13-under 131 in the 90-hole tournament on four Palm Springs-area courses. Charles Howell III (66) and Chris Couch (65) were a stroke back.

Although Vegas bogeyed his final hole on the Nicklaus Private course, he leads the field with 17 birdies. With power and accuracy off the tee, Vegas used an improved short game to get on top early in just his fifth PGA TOUR event.

"It's good to be hitting the ball well and putting well, especially on a course like these ones where you've always got a lot of birdie opportunities," said Vegas, who played at the University of Texas before excelling on the Nationwide Tour last year.

Although many pros still don't know him -- Weekley had never met Vegas before they shook hands in the media tent after the second round -- others already call him "Jhonny Vegas." As for the unique spelling on his birth certificate, Vegas realizes it might take a while to catch on.

"I'm happy they did it that way, because it's something different," Vegas said. "I mean, you only see one Jhonattan spelled that way, so once you see it, you know that it's me."

Vegas moved to the United States in 2002, spending nearly two years improving his English enough to attend college. He became the first Venezuelan to earn a PGA TOUR card last year.

The sport is viewed with a raised eyebrow in Venezuela by President Hugo Chavez, who calls it a pastime of the rich. In hilly Caracas, the government has threatened to replaced golf courses occupying valuable areas of flat land with housing that will be less vulnerable to rain and mudslides.

"I'd love the chance to tell people about golf in Venezuela," said Vegas, whose father runs a catering company. "(Chavez) has always said that golf is for elite people, I guess, and as we all know here, it's not that way. But I guess he's got that mentality, so I really hope to sit down with him and talk to him, and tell him it's not that way."

Chavez made the cut at last week's Sony Open in Hawaii, although he didn't get to play Sunday due to the weather-shortened field. He got off the islands in time to survey all four courses in Palm Springs before Wednesday's opening round.

The Hope Classic typically is dominated by low scores, and both leaders won't be surprised if the winner of the five-round event checks in at 30 under.

"We've played two of the easier courses, me and Mr. Vegas, so it just all depends on what can happen tomorrow," Weekley said. "I feel like I can go out there and shoot 3 or 4 under, keep myself in the hunt ... and still have a chance somewhere down the line there."

Weekley birdied his final two Nicklaus holes, wrapping up a sharp round on perhaps the tournament's easiest course. The veteran changed putters after finishing in 27th-place tie at the Sony Open in Hawaii last week, and the switch already has produced remarkable results.

"To 12 feet, 15 feet, I feel like I can make it," Weekley said. "I would say for about the last year, I ain't felt that in a while. I was hoping that this would happen."

Howell shot his second 66 of the tournament, while Couch made three birdies on his final four holes. Keegan Bradley and Brian Davis are two strokes off the lead at 133, while 29 players -- including David Duval and Matt Kuchar -- were within five strokes of the lead.

Bob Hope Classic: Round 2

EASIEST HOLE TOUGHEST HOLE The par-5 11th hole at La Quinta CC was the easiest with a Thursday scoring average of 4.250. EAGLES: 1 BIRDIES: 23 PARS: 7 BOGEYS: 1 OTHERS: 0 The par-3 5th hole at the PGA West Palmer Course was the toughest with a Thursday scoring average of 3.531. EAGLES: 0 BIRDIES: 0 PARS: 17 BOGEYS: 13 OTHERS: 2

About the leaders

• Jhonattan Vegas bogeyed his final hole today at Nicklaus Private but still managed to hold onto a share of the second-round lead at 13-under par. Vegas fired a 5-under 67 today and is a co-leader with Boo Weekley. • This is the fifth career start on the PGA TOUR for the 2010 Nationwide Tour graduate and former Texas Longhorn. He made the cut at last week's Sony Open in Hawaii but did not qualify for the final two rounds and finished T57 (67-71-138). • Vegas won last year's Preferred Health Systems Wichita Open but did not hold a lead after any of the first three rounds. Ironically the last time he led an event was at the same event in 2009, when he shared the first-round lead and then led by two strokes after both the second and third rounds. He wound up finishing T4 when he shot a 3-over 74 in the final round. • Vegas leads the field in fairways hit with 25 of 27 (92.6%). He was a perfect 13 for 13 yesterday at Palmer Private and was 12 of 14 today at Nicklaus Private. • Vegas leads the field with 17 birdies. • Vegas won the 2010 Argentina Open in mid-December, cruising to a six-stroke win in the Tour de las Americas event in Buenos Aires. • Boo Weekley birdied his final two holes today at Nicklaus Private to join Vegas atop the 36-hole leaderboard. Weekley is making his fourth career start in this tournament, with one cut made in three tries. He tied for 8th in 2008, thanks to a 62 in the third round. Weekley finished T27 at last week's Sony Open in Hawaii. Despite his solid finish in Honolulu, Weekley decided to change putters earlier this week. He had 28 putts yesterday and 27 today.