Villegas clings to lead at Buick Invitational

02/08/2009

SAN DIEGO — Colombia’s Camilo Villegas held off a surging John Rollins Friday to stay atop the leaderboard after two rounds of the $5.3 million Buick Invitational.

Villegas carded a 2-under 70 for an 11-under total of 133.

He saw his three-stroke overnight lead whittled to one shot as Rollins fashioned a superb eight-under 64 that was marred by a bogey at his last hole.

“I think I accomplished my goal. I looked at my caddie walking down the 10th fairway, it was just pouring, and I told him, listen, let’s find a way to keep it around par and maybe somehow get it in the red numbers,” Villegas said.

“We did get a little lucky with the rain and the forecast, but it was still playing tough, especially considering the fact that I only hit four fairways out there today. So I scrambled pretty good, and again, two-under, I’m happy with it.”

Villegas briefly looked like running away with it as he stretched his lead to six strokes midway through the round.

But Rollins charged into contention with a spectacular final nine holes.

Rollins teed off at the 10th hole, and made up six strokes in an eight-hole stretch on the front, including a birdie-eagle-birdie stretch from the fourth.

Bidding for his first title since the 2006 BC Open, Rollins pulled into a tie with Villegas after a birdie at the par-three eighth.

But at the par-five ninth, Rollins found the rough off the tee and a bunker with his third shot en route to a bogey.

“I just came out and made some putts, made a couple long ones that you don’t really expect to make, and just kind of built on that as the round progressed,” Rollins said. “I started to hit the ball a little bit better and continued to make the putts and got out of there with eight-under.”

Charley Hoffman birdied three of his final five holes en route to a six-under 66 and sole possession of third place on 137.

Paul Goydos (66) and Nick Watney (69) were tied for fourth on 138. England’s Luke Donald (69) headed a group of five players on 139.

Australian Aaron Baddeley and Davis Love, who started the day three shots off the lead, both ran into trouble.

Baddeley had five bogeys and a double-bogey en route to a 76 that left him nine off the pace, while Love posted a 77.

Phil Mickelson, who has won this event three times, had four birdies and four bogeys to finish with an even-par 72 that left him tied for 17th on 142.

Reigning British Open and PGA champion Padraig Harrington bogeyed two of his first four holes en route to a 74 that left him 12 adrift.

Harrington is playing in his first tournament of the season after having two non-malignant melanomas removed from near his right eye.

Torrey Pines was the site of last year’s epic US Open victory for Tiger Woods, who won a 19-hole playoff over Rocco Mediate despite playing with a torn ligament and stress fractures in his left leg.

Woods then underwent reconstructive surgery on his knee and has yet to return to competition since.

The absence of Woods gives the tournament a decidedly different look. The superstar has won the Buick Invitational six times, including the last four. AFP

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