Camilo Villegas chipped in from the rough to eagle the par-four second on his way to a scintillating nine-under-par 63 and a three-shot lead in the Buick Invitational first round at Torrey Pines. The 27-year-old Colombian also piled up eight birdies against a lone bogey on the undulating North Course.
Despite the challenge of blustery conditions and bumpy greens, Villegas matched his lowest score on the US circuit to surge three ahead of American Davis Love III and Australian Aaron Baddeley.
"It was a pretty fun day," the world number 11 told reporters after covering his back nine in a blistering five-under 31.
"Two chip-ins, that certainly helps. But even if you take them out, I played pretty good. I drove it nicely, I hit some great shots and left myself some good opportunities.
"It was not easy to have a good short game on that golf course today," said Villegas, who broke through into the top flight last year by winning the final two playoff events of the PGA Tour's FedExCup.
"The greens are bumpy and you've just got to be really committed to your line. And that's exactly what I did today."
Playing with world number three Padraig Harrington, who opened with a 71, Villegas birdied the par-five first before chipping in from the rough from 50 yards to eagle the second.
"I've got a little 63-degree (wedge) and I just popped it up in the air," he explained of his spectacular shot which had to clear a greenside bunker. "When I hit it, I knew it was good but I didn't see the ball go in. I was fortunate."
The muscular Colombian also birdied the third and sixth before bogeying the seventh to reach the turn in four-under 32.
He then picked up further shots at the 10th, 12th, 14th, 15th and 17th, where he also chipped in, to tighten his grip on the tournament.
"It's very early in the week and I've played only one round," Villegas said. "But I played great today and I'm excited about my round."
Love, champion here in 1996, birdied three of his last five holes on the North Course to set the early pace with playing partner Baddeley.
"It was a tough wind and a little cooler than we're used to but I'm sure it was tougher on the South Course," the 44-year-old Tour veteran said after mixing seven birdies with a bogey.
"It was a good start. I just holed a few putts and took advantage of the par fives. I've always enjoyed playing Torrey. It's a beautiful place but it's a great golf course and it's been good to me."
Australian Stuart Appleby opened with a 68 on the North Course to lie five strokes off the pace with Americans Jeff Overton and Robert Garrigus.
Three-times winner Phil Mickelson, who lives in nearby Rancho Santa Fe, carded a 70 on the South Course after ending a breezy day at the coastal venue in steady rain.
Double US champion Retief Goosen of South Africa, making his first appearance on the 2009 PGA Tour, opened with a 71 on the North Course while Britain's Luke Donald carded a 70 on the South layout.
Collated first round scores(USA unless stated, par 72)
North Course:
63Camilo Villegas (Col)
66Aaron Baddeley (Aus), Davis Love III
68Robert Garrigus, Jeff Overton, Stuart Appleby (Aus)
69Nick Watney, Ricky Barnes, Brian Bateman, Ben Crane, Lucas Glover, Harrison Frazar, Jason Day (Aus)
70Kent Jones, Jonathan Kaye, Gregor Main, Matthew Jones (Aus), D.A. Points, Brian Vranesh, John Rollins, J J Henry, Bob Heintz, Briny Baird
71Retief Goosen (Rsa), Anthony Smith (Aus), Tag Ridings, Courtland Lowe, Jeff Klauk, Bob Tway, Jarrod Lyle (Aus), Michael Allen, Kevin Stadler, Aaron Watkins, Brett Quigley, John Huston, Marc Turnesa, Jesper Parnevik (Swe), Padraig Harrington(Irl)
72Aron Price (Aus), Rodney Pampling (Aus), Chris Riley, Steve Allan (Aus), Webb Simpson, Joe Durant, Arjun Atwal (Ind), Jay Williamson, Glen Day, Rick Price, Gregory Casagranda
73Peter Tomasulo, Dudley Hart, Chris Stroud, Arron Oberholser, Bart Bryant, Colt Knost, Tim Petrovic, Greg Chalmers (Aus), James Driscoll, Josh Anderson
74Spencer Levin, Charles Warren, Bill Lunde, John Merrick, Darron Stiles, John Mallinger, Kevin Larsen, James Oh (Kor), Tyler Aldridge
75Brad Adamonis, Notah Begay III, David Mathis, Martin Laird (Sco), Scott Piercy, Brandt Snedeker, Nicholas Thompson
78Troy Kelly, Greg Kraft
79Ryan Moore
South Course
69Mathew Goggin (Aus), Scott Sterling
70Phil Mickelson, Nathan Green (Aus), Ryuji Imada (Jpn), Jason Dufner, Luke Donald (Eng), Greg Owen (Eng), Jason Gore
71Charley Hoffman, George McNeill, Dean Wilson, Bubba Watson
72Bill Haas, Paul Goydos, Charles Howell III
73Pat Perez, J.B. Holmes, Alex Cejka (Ger)
74Brendon De Jonge, Patrick Sheehan, Scott McCarron, Lee Janzen, Ted Purdy, Woody Austin, Todd Hamilton, Parker McLachlin, Matt Bettencourt, Fred Couples, Kevin Streelman, Dustin Johnson, Hunter Mahan, Marc Leishman (Aus), Troy Matteson
75Charlie Wi (Kor), Leif Olson, Tom Lehman, Tom Pernice Jnr.
76Rory Sabbatini (Rsa), Marco Dawson, John Senden (Aus), David Berganio Jnr, Gary Woodland, Ben Curtis, Chez Reavie, Daniel Chopra (Swe), Jimmy Walker, Johnson Wagner
77Y. E Yang (Kor), Fredrik Jacobson (Swe), Casey Wittenberg, Kevin Sutherland, Carl Pettersson (Swe), Tommy Gainey, Matt Weibring
78Paul Stankowski, Wil Collins, Cliff Kresge, Peter Lonard (Aus), Steve Marino, Brandt Jobe, Scott Gutschewski, Rich Beem, Dennis Paulson, Carlos Franco (Par), Corey Pavin
79Brad Faxon, Kris Blanks, Tim Parun, Bryce Molder, James Nitties (Aus), Frank Lickliter II
80Jeff Quinney
81Brendon Todd, Wes Short jr
82Billy Andrade, Matthew Borchert
85Eric Axley
