Trahan, Gamez Move Into Tie for Lead at Hope Classic

Trahan began the day with a string of four birdies and had just one bogey to go to 13-under 131 through 36 holes of the 90-hole tournament.

Gamez turned in a bogey-free round. The co-leaders played at La Quinta Country Club, one of four courses used for the first four rounds.

Wind is often is a factor in the Hope and Trahan was happy to score well despite some gusts.

“It was definitely a little bit tough today. The wind was blowing over here. But (I'm) obviously very pleased with the round like that in these conditions.”

Trahan's quick start could have been even better — he missed a short birdie try on his fifth hole.

“But I mean, four birdies to start the day, what more could you ask?” he said.

The 27-year-old Trahan, beginning his fourth year on the tour, is looking for his second title. He got his first win at the Madison, Miss., event in 2006.

Gamez described his round as “just solid golf.”

“I had some chance the last couple holes and just didn't capitalize, but overall it was pretty good,” he said.

The 39-year-old Gamez, in the Hope on an exemption, is a three-time winner on the tour but doesn't have a victory since 2005. He finished last year at 132nd on the money list with $693,464, far below his best season in 2003, when he earned $1.5 million.

He said he found out a couple of weeks ago that he would get an exemption for the Hope.

“I would have hated missing this tournament,” Gamez said. “it's in my top five of the year on the tour, and I just love playing it and I love being here.”

Justin Leonard, the 2005 champion, had a 64 at La Quinta and was one shot off the pace, with Steve Elkington's 68 at PGA West leaving him another stroke back.

Joe Durant, who set the tournament record of 36-under 324 in 2001, began the second round in a five-way tie for the lead, but had a 73 at SilverRock Resort to drop into a tie for 21st.

The other four players who held a share of the opening-day lead fell back during the second round. Tim Petrovic had a 70 and was tied for fifth. Omar Uresti (72) Mathew Goggin (73) and Siege Maruyama (76) dropped back into the pack.

Petrovic, Goggin and Maruyama played at SilverRock, being used in the Hope for the first time. Uresti played at La Quinta.

The first four rounds of the tournament are a pro-am, with pros only playing Sunday's final round at the Classic Club.

In other news Cover reaction shakes editor — The editor of Golfweek magazine said he was overwhelmed by negative reaction to the photo of a noose on the cover of this week's issue, illustrating a story about the suspension of a Golf Channel anchor for using the word “lynch” in an on-air discussion about how to beat Tiger Woods.
“We knew that image would grab attention, but I didn't anticipate the enormity of it,” Dave Seanor, vice president and editor of the weekly magazine, said from the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Fla.

“There's been a huge, negative reaction,” he said. “I've gotten so many e-mails. It's a little overwhelming.”

Among the critics was PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem, who said he found the imagery to be “outrageous and irresponsible.”

Kelly Tilghman was suspended for two weeks because of comments she made during the second round of the Mercedes-Benz Championship, when she and analyst Nick Faldo were discussing young challengers to Woods.

Faldo suggested that “to take Tiger on, maybe they should just gang up (on him) for a while.”

“Lynch him in a back alley,” Tilghman replied.