CAMILO VILLEGAS holds a three-shot lead after the first round of the Buick Invitational in California.
The Colombian – who, along from Padraig Harrington and Phil Michelson are the only members of the top 20 in the world competing at the tournament – fired a spectacular nine-under-par 63 last night on the North Course.
Villegas is three ahead of second-placed Davis Love III and Australian Aaron Baddeley.
Playing on the same course, Harrington – on his seasonal debut in the US – finished on one-under.
After a double-bogey on the par-three 17th hole, the Dubliner came back to birdie the par-five last.
Meanwhile, Lee Westwood wants Rory McIlroy to be given room to have fun rather than have expectations piled on him.
The Northern Ireland teenager moved up to 16th in the world by winning his first European Tour title in Dubai last weekend.
During the event American Mark O’Meara said McIlroy was ahead of Tiger Woods at the same age, but Westwood, the youngster’s stablemate, said: “I don’t think we should be comparing him to Tiger or anybody yet.
“He’s only 19 and he should be going out and experiencing different adventures and still having fun. It’s putting too much pressure on him to set goals really high at this stage. It’s a problem we seem to have in this country.
“Last week it was ‘Andy Murray’s going to win the Australian Open’. Last year it was ‘England are going to win the World Cup’ when we hadn’t even qualified for Euro 2008.”
This is not to say that Westwood does not believe McIlroy capable of great things. It is just that he wants to downplay it.
Westwood said: “I first played with Rory when he was 14 or 15. He was invited to the British Masters and Darren (Clarke) and I practised with him. You could see how good he was then.”
Westwood also partnered the former European Amateur champion at the 2007 Dunhill Links Championship. It was only the second event of McIlroy’s professional career and he finished third.
