Colombian clings on to lead

Villegas holds a one-shot advantage after day two at Torrey Pines

Last updated: 7th February 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Colombian clings on to lead

Villegas: Staying ahead

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.

Camilo Villegas
Quotes of the week

Second-round leaders:
US unless stated
-11 C Villegas (Col)
-10 J Rollins
-7 C Hoffman
-6 N Watney P Goydos

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Camilo Villegas survived a late surge from John Rollins to stay ahead of the field after two rounds at the Buick Invitational.

The overnight leader from Colombia carded a two-under-par 70 to finish on 11-under, just one shot ahead of Rollins.

But for a bogey at the last, the American could have improved on his eight-under 64 and Villegas knows he has much work to do over the final two days.

"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."

Composure

Rollins, who is bidding for his first title since the 2006 BC Open, charged into contention after making up six strokes in an eight-hole stretch on the front nine.

Having teed off at the 10th hole, a birdie at the par-three eighth - his penultimate hole - drew him level with Villegas before he found the bunker en route to bogeying the par-five ninth.

"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."

Contenders

American Charley Hoffman is in sole possession of third place after he birdied three of his final five holes to card a six-under 66.

Paul Goydos (66) and Nick Watney (69) are tied for fourth a shot back on six-under for the championship, while England's Luke Donald (69) heads a group of five players on 139 for the two rounds.

Australian Aaron Baddeley (76) and Davis Love III (77) both fell back into the chasing pack meanwhile and three-time Buick Invitational winner Phil Mickelson had four birdies and four bogeys to finish with an even-par 72 that left him tied for 17th.

Reigning Open and USPGA champion Padraig Harrington, playing his first PGA Tour tournament of the season after having two non-malignant melanomas removed from near his right eye, bogeyed two of his first four holes en route to a 74 that left him 12 adrift.