Villegas piles up pressure on Furyk

Source: Agencies  |   2008-12-21  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

CAMILO Villegas, helped by a spectacular eagle at the 11th, boosted his chances of a third title on US soil this year by soaring into contention at the Chevron World Challenge at Thousand Oaks, California, on Friday.

The Colombian world No. 7 fired a sparkling 5-under-par 67, the best score of the week, to end the second round two shots behind the pace-setting Jim Furyk.

Six behind at the start of a chilly autumn day of sunshine, Villegas birdied the first three holes on the way to a 3-under total of 141, level with South Korean K.J. Choi (71) and American Anthony Kim (70).

Furyk, two ahead overnight in the 16-man event hosted by Tiger Woods, failed to replicate his form from the first round but preserved his lead despite bogeying the last for a 71.

"I hung in there today, that's the best I can say," Furyk told reporters after mixing two birdies with a lone bogey. "I wasn't as crisp with my iron game and didn't have as many birdie opportunities but I managed to limit the mistakes. I didn't feel great about my game but I still shot one under."

Villegas, who broke into the world's top 10 by winning the last two events of the 2008 PGA Tour's FedExCup series, was delighted with his display on a muddy layout.

"I swung the club a lot better today than yesterday," the muscular Colombian said after setting up his eagle at the 11th with a three-wood to six feet that narrowly cleared trees guarding the front edge of the green.

"Three birdies to get started but then I made three bogeys there," he added, referring to dropped shots at the fifth, ninth and 10th. "I was a little disappointed but an eagle on the 11th hole got me back on track."

Former world No. 1 Fred Couples, who has battled back problems in recent years, delivered one of the day's most compelling storylines by firing a 69. The 49-year-old American, who knows the hilly Sherwood layout better than anyone else in the field, birdied three of the first six holes on his way to a tie for fifth at two under in the 16-man event.