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Fast start for Camilo at BMW

Colombian opens one-shot lead after rain-delayed first round

Last updated: 6th September 2008

Villegas: One-shot lead

First round leaderboard:
(US unless stated)
C Villegas (Col) -5
S Appleby (Aus) -4
T Herron -4
K Perry -4
A Romero (Arg) -4
S Stricker -4

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Colombia's Camilo Villegas carded a five-under-par 65 to open a one-shot lead after the first round of the rain-affected BMW Championship in St Louis.

Thursday's proposed start was delayed 24 hours after the remnants of Hurricane Gustav hit Bellerive Country Club in St Louis, but, with three inches of rain having drained from the course overnight, a full day's play was possible on Friday.

It was in-form Villegas who made the fastest start, the Colombian has two top-four finishes in his last three outings and will be looking to secure a first PGA Tour title this weekend at the third leg of the FedEx Cup play-off series.

The 26-year-old mixed eight birdies with three bogeys as he moved clear of the field and stands one stroke clear of a group of five men; Argentine Andres Romero, Stuart Appleby of Australia and American trio Steve Stricker, Kenny Perry and Tim Herron.

Swede Freddie Jacobsen is the best-placed European at three-under, while Sergio Garcia began his campaign with a 68 to sit three off the pace.

The Spaniard currently stands second in the FedEx Cup points race, leader Vijay Singh - unlikely to be caught after winning the first two events of the series - returned a level-par 70 on Friday.

Villegas made his intentions clear with a birdie at the first and then recorded four on the trot from the fifth to the eighth to strom to five-under.

However, he stumbled through the turn with bogeys at nine and ten, only to regain his momentum with further birdies at 11, 14 and 16.

His round did end on a sour note with another bogey at the last, but was ultimately satisfied with his efforts.

Great shots

"I hit a lot of great shots out there, gave myself a lot of birdie putts and unfortunately finished with a bogey at the last," he stated afterwards.

"It was a little wet, but better than I thought after the amount of rain that came down yesterday."

Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson both opened with 68s, while Padraig Harrington, who missed the cut in the first two events of the series after his back-to-back major wins, made a welcome return to form with a 69.

The players now face a gruelling Saturday with 36 holes scheduled to get the $7 million event back on course for a Sunday finish - it will be the first time the entire field has played 36 holes at a PGA Tour event on one day since the 2005 International.