Villegas sizzles with 63 to storm past 'Big Three'
They have combined for 121 victories and 19 majors. But when Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Vijay Singh played together Friday for the first time on the PGA Tour, the only number that mattered was on their scorecards.
The "Big Three" was a combined 3-over par.
On a day when Camilo Villegas shot a career-low 63 at the Deutsche Bank Championship in Norton, Mass., the biggest buzz outside Beantown was on the three biggest names in golf, who delivered some memorable moments they would rather forget.
Mickelson twice went on a search-and-rescue mission in the forest along the ninth hole, trying to find his golf ball and figure out how to hit it. He wound up with a triple bogey that spoiled an otherwise solid round of 70.
Woods took 3 shots to get out of the bunker on the 298-yard fourth and made double bogey. He spent the rest of the afternoon on the TPC Boston trying to get back to even par, missing 4 birdie putts inside 10 feet and settling for a 1-over 72.
Singh set the tone for this mighty threesome by 4-putting from 15 feet on the opening hole. He shot 74. It was the second straight week in the PGA Tour Playoffs that Singh had a 4-putt double bogey.
"I don't normally four-putt from that close," Singh said.
Woods was asked how he would describe the festivities and summed it beautifully.
"Over."
Woods hit his second shot into the water on the par-5 second hole, and combined with his double bogey on No. 4, was at 3 over through four holes and already 10 shots out of the lead.
"It's not like I haven't been in this position before," Woods said. "I kept saying, 'I basically have 68 holes to make it up.' "
Villegas was three groups ahead and playing the kind of golf expected out of the glamour boys.
"Kept the ball in play and rolled in some beautiful putts," Villegas said. "I was happy with my round. It's very early in the week, and it's time to keep it going."
Villegas had a 2-shot lead over former Masters champion Mike Weir and Ryan Moore, while The Barclays winner Steve Stricker continued his solid play with a 67 that helped his chances of staying atop the playoff standings.
LPGA State Farm Classic: Sherri Steinhauer shot a 6-under 66 to top the LPGA State Farm Classic leaderboard for the second straight day.
Defending champion Annika Sorenstam had a 65 to pull within 3 strokes.
Steinhauer, who earned a spot on her fourth U.S. Solheim Cup team this year, had 7 birdies and 1 bogey to get to 11-under 133 at the halfway point of the four-day tournament at Panther Creek Country Club in Springfield, Ill.
Christina Kim was 2 strokes back after a 66.
Wal-Mart First Tee Open: Morris Hatalsky and Monday qualifier Bruce Vaughan shot 7-under 65s to share the first-round lead in the Wal-Mart First Tee Open at Pebble Beach, Calif.
Johnnie Walker Championship: France's Thomas Levet birdied the last hole for a 5-under 68 and a share of the second-round lead with England's Simon Wakefield in the Johnnie Walker Championship in Gleneagles, Scotland. Wakefield shot a 69 to match Levet at 9-under 137.