PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (AP) a' So much has gone wrong for Camilo Villegas that it would have been an easy task to play it safe in the Honda Classic. He was one shot out of the lead and in the heart of the fairway on the par-5 18th hole at PGA National, 263 yards from the hole with a large river between the conclusion of the green and the fairway. Villegas never gave an additional thought to it. "I had a perfect number there," he said Thursday. "It was just a regular 3-wood. My caddie mentioned, 'Where have you been planning to opt for this one '? And I said, 'I am looking directly at the flag.' And I struck an excellent shot." The 31-year-old Colombian drilled his shot within the water and onto the green about 8 feet away to close with an eagle for a 64, his lowest beginning round on the PGA Tour in greater than a year. As he heads in to the second round Friday once the greens at PGA National are at their utmost In addition, it gave a one-shot cause to him. He is put by the eagle atop the leaderboard over four people, including rising South African star Branden Grace and Rickie Fowler. Grace finished with four straight birdies for his 65 in his first round at the Honda Classic. Protecting champion Rory McIlroy and Tiger walked away feeling significantly differently about their time and Woods each opened with a 70. Woods performed in the great, cloudy morning and was in danger of a large amount late in his round when he decided to lose his clothes and shoes, don water pants and action into a creek to play a shot half-submerged in the water. In place of taking a drop that could have resulted in dual bogey, he rallied for a 70 and fled with level. "I was not trying to advance it very much, just make certain I acquired it in the fairway and give myself some sort of wedge shot in there, which I did," Woods said. McIlroy was 1 under for when his wedge from 105 meters sailed over the 18th green, he chipped to just inside 8 feet his day and got bogey when he missed the putt. It felt worse coming on the hole at PGA National, which played in regards to a half-shot below par. "I only had 105 yards set for my next picture and finished up taking a 6," McIlroy said. "Wasn't the nicest method to finish. Good golf was seen enough pretty by me on the market to maintain positivity entering the next several days." Villegas will take almost anything good at this time in his profession. He was a star when he won back-to-back FedEx Cup playoff activities in 2008, and rose to a career-best No. 7 on the planet the following year. But the last 18 months have produced nothing but trouble, a recession therefore extreme that Villegas dropped his whole standing and didn't come especially near to setting it up back at Q-school last year. Villegas is playing this year on sponsors' exemptions and is popular enough to build the full agenda. But he needs to conduct, and he has perhaps not had an excellent begin to the year with a finish and two overlooked reductions in the California desert. "This sport is very good when you are playing good," Villegas said. "When you are out here missing cuts and missing cuts, I really do not care what individuals say. Yes, we are blessed to own this job, nonetheless it is not very much fun. ... The game was kicking my butt a little bit. That is a great way to place it. But I know who I'm. I know I belong out here. I know how good I will be, and therefore, that's why you're just going to keep your mind up and keep working." Villegas won the Honda Classic in 2010 at PGA National, therefore he at least has that to build on. Grace, area of the core of young South Africans on the increase, had heard lots in regards to the water and difficulty on Nos. 15, 16 and 17, an extended named "Bear's Trap" honoring course developer Jack Nicklaus. A week ago he found it on TV and talked to Charl Schwartzel about it. And a little trepidation was brought by him with him to PGA National. "I sat down with Charl a week ago at the Match Play and he explained, 'Listen, the four finishing pockets are quite an animal out there .' And so I was only a little nervous coming here," Grace said. "I only thought, 'What is going to happen around that corner?'" The very first one was simple following a tee shot into 2 toes on the par-3 15th. He holed birdie putts of about 18 feet on the following two holes, and then his 3-iron hardly cleared the water in front of the green on the par-5 18th, leading to an easy up-and-down to finish in style. Dustin Johnson, coming off two missed pieces and a first-round reduction in the Match Play, sorted out his problems with the driver and opened at 66 to join a group that included Lee Westwood, Sean O'Hair, Boo Weekley and Ben Kohles, who won back-to-back Web.com Tour events this past year in his two begins after turning pro to earn a visit card. Woods didn't strike it all that badly, aside from his tee shot on the par-4 sixth, with the tees moved forward 40 yards. He drove it left and down the financial institution into the water. Due to where it first crossed the risk, he'd have experienced no possiblity to get nearby the green after having a penalty decline. Woods found enough of the ball to give a shot to it. He removed his shoes and clothes since the gallery stumbled on life. The ball shot out with a big splash, leaving Woods about 80 meters to a front flag. He struck wedge to 8 feet and saved level. "I was 1 over at the time, and if that ball is not playable from where it's at, where I entered was rather much back," Woods said. "Looking at 6 a three over a' and all of a sudden I turn it, make level there and birdie the next."
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