Villegas Sets Pace at Wyndham Championship


Camilo Villegas fired a 7-under 63 to take the opening-round lead in the Wyndham Championship. The $5.3 million PGA Tour event got underway Thursday at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C.

Villegas, a 32-year-old Colombian with three Tour victories - his most recent coming at the 2010 Honda Classic, posted five birdies and an eagle on the par-5 fifth- his 14th hole after starting play on the 10th tee - for a one-stroke lead over Americans William McGirt and Webb Simpson.

Simpson, a native of Raleigh, won the first of his four titles - including the 2012 U.S. Open - in the Wyndham Championship.

Villegas later told reporters he was very pleased with his hot start. "It was nice to go without any bogeys and I think it probably showed it was a consistent round," he said.

"I kept it on the fairways, on the greens and just made the putts when I hit it close. My birdie putts weren't even that long. I just hit the ball nicely."

Two behind are Americans Scott Langley, Heath Slocum and Andrew Loupe, Scotland's Martin Laird and England's Paul Casey.

Four back are Japan's Ryuji Imada, Canada's Mike Weir, Aussies Steven Bowditch and Robert Allenby, and Americans J.J. Henry, Johnson Wagner, Ricky Barnes, Brian Stuard, Steve Marino and Tommy Gainey.

Defending champion Patrick Reed opened with an even-par 71.

For all the scores, visit http://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard.html.