BOB HOPE CLASSIC NOTEBOOK: LEONARD OFF TO BETTER START THAN LAST SEASON.

Byline: Jill Painter

Staff Writer

PALM DESERT -- Justin Leonard shot a 66 on Saturday and leads the Bob Hope Classic by four strokes, a drastic change from how he started last season.

Leonard missed his first sixcuts last season and was mired in one of the worst slumps of his career. But Leonard eventually found his groove. He went from Butch Harmon back to swing coach Randy Smith in March, made swing changes and found his confidence again.

"I got to, why can't I play?" Leonard said. "It was challenging. Also, I appreciate that time because it helped shape my character. I became a tougher person because of it. It deepened my faith. I know that I couldn't have gone through that and come out eight months later the way I did without a lot of great support.

"So, I'm glad I went through that. I don't want to go through it again."

Leonard -- the former British Open champion -- finished in the top 10 in four of his last five events and won the Valero Texas Open.

Leonard is from Texas and lives in Dallas, along with Anthony Kim.

Kim is tied for second, four strokes back, and will be one of many chasing Leonard. The two are friends and Leonard has given Kim advice. Asked if Kim was a prodigy of his, Leonard said: "No, no. He's too good to be a protege of anybody."

A little respect?

Robert Gamez couldn't catch a break. On the first hole, he looked up and saw his name spelled "Gomez" on a leaderboard.

Comedian Tom Dreesen said he would call him Rodney Dangerfield because he wasn't getting any respect.

Then, Gamez took a double bogey after he hit in the water on the second hole at the Classic Club.

Gamez didn't make any birdies on the front nine, but he got back on track and made four on the back nine, and after leading by one shot yesterday, is tied for second, four shots behind Leonard.

Also ...

Samuel L. Jackson earned the award for best dressed Saturday. He wore pastel pink pants and matching cap, along with a pastel-colored argyle vest. He played well, too. Jackson, tournament host George Lopez and Luke Wilson combined to win the team amateur title by three shots at 59under. It's the first time a host team has won the amateur competition. ... Actor Don Cheadle made like Tiger Woods at the Classic Club. While waiting to putt, he bounced his golf ball with an iron. He only missed when a photographer moved close to him to take a picture.

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