Maruyama in tie for Hope lead after birdie run

PALM DESERT, California (Reuters) - Japan's Shigeki Maruyama birdied his last six holes to rocket into a five-way tie for the lead in the Bob Hope Classic first round on Wednesday.

The Chiba native tapped in a four-foot putt on his final hole for a seven-under-par 65 at the Classic Club, one of four venues hosting the five-round pro-am celebrity event.

Bidding for his fourth PGA Tour title, Maruyama finished level with Americans Tim Petrovic, Joe Durant and Omar Uresti and Australia's Mathew Goggin.

Petrovic, Durant and Goggin also started out at the Classic Club while Uresti played on the Palmer Course at PGA West.

Twice U.S. Open champion Lee Janzen, who birdied two of his last three holes at PGA West, was among a group of seven players bunched on 66.

Maruyama, whose last PGA Tour victory came at the 2003 Greensboro Classic, mixed three birdies with two bogeys to get to one under par after 12 holes.

At that point, the 38-year-old told his caddie: "I will be pleased if I shoot two under today."

Maruyama, making his first appearance in the tournament, then caught fire at the par-three fourth, his 13th hole of the day, where he hit his tee shot to three feet.

He rolled in a 15-footer at the fifth, got up and down from a greenside bunker to birdie the sixth and sank a five-footer at the seventh to get to five under.

After hitting a five-wood into the par-three eighth green, he coaxed in a 15-foot, left-to-right putt before signing off in style at the par-five ninth, where he laid up in two.

FIRST TIME

"That's the first time I have ever made six birdies in a row," Maruyama told reporters, speaking though an interpreter. "And I've only ever made five in a row once before.

"I am feeling very comfortable with my game at the moment and felt I played fairly conservatively today."

Durant, the 2001 champion, was delighted with his form in his first PGA Tour start of the season.

"The best thing I did today was just stay patient," he said after piling up two eagles, five birdies and two bogeys.

"I made a couple of eagles on the back and a couple of bogeys but overall I played very well. It was a nice start to the year."

Durant, a four-times winner on the PGA Tour, made the most of a relatively benign day in the Coachella Valley.

"We were all expecting heavy winds today and it never really materialized," the 43-year-old said. "That was a nice surprise.

"I'm glad to have one good round under my belt but it's a marathon," he added, referring to the event's 90-hole format.

"You almost don't know where you stand in this tournament until after the fourth round because there's such a contrast in golf courses."

Long-haired Charley Hoffman, who won last year's title in a playoff with fellow American John Rollins, opened with a 68 at the new SilverRock Resort layout. Canada's Mike Weir, the 2003 champion, returned a 70, also at SilverRock.

(Editing by Alastair Himmer)