LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Justin Rose had to settle for a share of the lead with American Lucas Glover after an erratic finish to the fourth round of the Bob Hope Classic in Palm Desert, California on Saturday.

Bidding for his maiden PGA Tour title, Rose bogeyed two of his last five holes for a two-under-par 70 at the Classic Club, one of four courses hosting the 90-hole pro-am celebrity event.

That left him on 20-under 268, level with Glover who charged into contention with an eight-birdie 65 at La Quinta Country Club.

"I three-putted twice coming in and that really slowed my momentum," Rose told reporters after mixing six birdies with four bogeys on a crisp day of sunshine in the California desert.

"Overall, 70 is not a bad score and not a great score. But I kept my nose in and around the lead and I'm in a good position heading into the final round.

"I've been in contention a fair bit the last five or six months and I'm feeling better and better with it every time I go out there," added Rose, who ended a four-year title drought on the European Tour by winning the Australian Masters last November.

John Rollins carded a 67 at PGA West's Palmer Private course to lie third at 18 under with fellow Americans Jeff Quinney, after a 66 at La Quinta, and Charley Hoffman, who shot 68 at the Classic Club, a further two strokes back in fourth.

U.S. Ryder Cup player Scott Verplank, co-leader with Rose after the second round, slipped back into a tie for 13th at 14 under after bogeying three of his first seven holes en route to a 74 at La Quinta.

Rose, two ahead overnight, made a fast start with birdies on the first two holes and also at the par-four fifth.

Although he bogeyed the par-three sixth, he picked up another shot at the eighth to reach the turn four ahead of the chasing pack.

ERRATIC GOLF

However, the 26-year-old Englishman played erratic golf over the closing stretch.

He found water off the tee at the 11th on his way to a bogey-five and also dropped on 14 and 16, three-putting on both occasions, to offset birdies at the 13th and 15th.

Glover, whose only PGA Tour victory came at the 2005 Walt Disney Classic, birdied four of his last seven holes to tie Rose for the lead.

"I got off to kind of a slow start but I really played solid on the front and just turned in a good nine," said the 27-year-old from South Carolina, who bogeyed his opening hole at La Quinta, the par-four 10th.

"It was a little windy out there but you get a lot of short putts if you're in the fairway. It was good."

Masters champion Phil Mickelson, Bob Hope Classic winner in 2002 and 2004, climbed into a tie for 19th at 13 under after firing a nine-birdie 66 at Bermuda Dunes.

"I'm so far back," said the American left-hander, who is playing his first tournament of the year.

"The only way for me to have a chance is if the leaders come back, so I've just got to go out and play a good round tomorrow."

The fourth-round cut fell at six under with title-holder Chad Campbell and former major champions Todd Hamilton, Ben Curtis, Mark O'Meara, Steve Elkington and Justin Leonard among those missing out.

Play was delayed by 30 minutes on three of the four courses at the start of the day because of early morning frost.

The five-round tournament is the third stop on the 2007 PGA Tour.