Camilo Villegas finishes strong to take 36-hole lead in Mexico

LOS CABOS, Mexico — Camilo Villegas thrilled spectators with a brilliant display of golf on Friday, birdying his last three holes to finish the day at 8-under 64 at the World Wide Technology Championship. His exceptional performance allowed him to take a 2-shot lead heading into the weekend.

While there were several players competing for the top spot, Villegas stood out on the calm El Cardonal at Diamante course in Baja California. Uncharacteristically devoid of strong winds, the course played vulnerable to the talented field.

The 41-year-old Colombian, who is fighting to secure his full PGA Tour card, caught up to Matt Kuchar with a crucial birdie on the 16th hole. He then closed his round with two more birdies, finishing with an impressive 16-under 128 total.

Former champion Matt Kuchar, who won this tournament five years ago at Mayakoba, carded his second consecutive 65 to remain in contention.

Erik van Rooyen, ranked 125th in the FedEx Cup standings, was tied for the lead with Kuchar and poised to overtake him until he encountered trouble on the closing hole. A wayward tee shot forced him to take a penalty drop and ultimately resulted in a double bogey. He fell into a tie for fifth place.

Sitting at 13-under 131 were Stephan Jaeger and Justin Suh, both shooting impressive 65s.

Villegas eclipsed his previous career best for 36 holes on the PGA Tour by 2 shots. However, his current 64-64 start falls short of his personal record set back in 2004, when he shot 61-62 at a Hooters Tour event shortly after missing the second stage of Q-School.

Reflecting on his performance, Villegas remarked, “I won the tournament by 10 shots the week after missing the second stage of Q-School. It was like a bittersweet win.”

The stakes are high for Villegas this week as he strives to improve his FedEx Cup ranking, currently standing at No. 223. With only three tournaments left, he is aiming to secure a full card for the 2024 season. Even conditional status in the top 150 would be a significant achievement.

Commenting on his mindset, Villegas stated, “Obviously, it’s nice to play good this week…you’ve just got to stay in the moment. Not getting ahead of yourself, not getting behind, not letting what you just did affect your emotions or what’s coming affect how you can think of the present shot.”

A victory at the World Wide Technology Championship would provide Villegas with a two-year exemption, as well as coveted spots in the Masters and the PGA Championship. However, with 14 players within five shots of the lead, there is still much golf to be played on a course that allows plenty of birdie opportunities.

The cut line fell at 5-under 139. Cameron Young, currently the highest-ranked player in Mexico at No. 17 in the world, had a rollercoaster front nine but managed to secure a spot in the weekend rounds with a birdie on the 18th hole.

Kramer Hickok, well-acquainted with El Cardonal due to his early arrival and dedicated practice, sits three shots behind Villegas. Impressively, Hickok has not recorded a bogey through the first 36 holes.

Hickok explained, “Everyone’s starting at the same spot, so I just really wanted to get a jump start on that.”

Australian golfer Cameron Percy had a stellar opening round of 62, but struggled on Friday, shooting 10 shots worse. Nonetheless, his good start keeps him in contention going into the weekend.

Without a doubt, there were a plethora of exceptional scores, as well as some disappointing finishes.

Will Gordon came tantalizingly close to a fantastic round of 10-under until he dropped a bogey on his final hole. Nevertheless, his 63 places him at 12-under, alongside Hickok, Chesson Hadley, and Erik van Rooyen, who had an opportunity to post a 61 but instead made a double bogey.

One of the most intriguing contenders is Jeffrey Kang, who had to go through qualifying as it took place near his residence in Los Angeles. Kang, a seasoned traveler on various tours around the world, secured his first cut on the PGA Tour.

He fondly recalled the biggest payday of his career, a $40,000 victory at the Chengdu Championship on the old PGA Tour China series in 2018. Hoping for an even greater reward this week, Kang aims to make the most of his opportunity on the PGA Tour.