LA QUINTA, Calif. – Steve Stricker shot a 10-under 62 yesterday to overtake Pat Perez and rewrite a couple of PGA Tour records as he went to 33 under through four rounds of the birdie-fest known as the Bob Hope Classic.

Eight shots behind Perez after 36 holes, Stricker shot 61 during the third round to move into contention, and his sparkling play on the fourth day gave him a three-shot lead over Perez, the leader each of the previous three rounds.

On another of what has been a string of warm, windless days in the desert, Stricker reached 33-under 255, bettering the tour’s 72-hole mark of 31 under set by Ernie Els in winning the 2003 Mercedes Classic.

Stricker’s 61-62 also was a tour low for consecutive rounds. Mark Calcavecchia set the record by shooting 60-64 in the 2001 Phoenix Open, and Perez tied it with his 61-63 start in the Hope.

As a yardstick of how low the scoring has been in the always par-as-a-memory Hope, the cut came at 15 under, lowest ever for a tour event. Jesper Parnevik, the 2000 champion, shot an 11-under 61 in the fourth round and still missed the cut, with his 274 total one shot over the limit to play today.

QUIROS ROCKS IN QATAR

In Doha, Qatar, Alvaro Quiros of Spain had eight birdies for an 8-under 64, leading Louis Oosthuizen by one stroke after the third round of the Qatar Masters.

Quiros, who made five birdies on the front nine, totaled 16-under 200 at Doha Golf Course.

MATTHEW ON TOP

In Rio De Janeiro, Catriona Matthew, the 39-year-old Scot five months pregnant with her second child, shot a 3-under 69 to take a two-stroke lead after the first round of the HSBC LPGA Brazil Cup exhibition tournament.

“I’m feeling fine actually,” Matthew said. “I get a little tired toward the end, but it’s not really affecting me just yet.”