Last Updated: November 03, 2023, 03:30 IST
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Camilo Villegas has been working all 12 months on his swing and had cause to hope it was beginning to come collectively. He opened with an 8under 64 on Thursday and shared the lead with Michael Kim within the World Wide Technology Championship.
LOS CABOS, Mexico: Camilo Villegas has been working all 12 months on his swing and had cause to hope it was beginning to come collectively. He opened with an 8-underneath 64 on Thursday and shared the lead with Michael Kim within the World Wide Technology Championship.
Cameron Young, who hasn’t performed because the BMW Championship in August, and Matt Kuchar had been amongst these one shot behind on a day of little wind and low scoring.
Tiger Woods was getting as a lot consideration as anybody, even with out taking part in. El Cardonal at Diamante is the primary course he designed that’s used as a PGA Tour occasion.
The event had been at Mayakoba, which now hosts a LIV Golf occasion.
“A lot of this place is very generous fairways. Fairways are pretty easy to find,” Kuchar mentioned. “It’s I think kind of a second-shot golf course, back nine even more so than the front nine.”
With easy, delicate inexperienced and wind that was extra refreshing than troublesome, El Cardonal was a course to take goal. Among early starters, 41 gamers broke 70.
Cameron Percy of Australia was among the many late starters and was 8 underneath by 11 holes.
The timing was very best for Villegas, whose 4 PGA Tour titles included again-to-again FedEx Cup playoff titles in 2008. But he since has misplaced his card and spent most of 2023 between the Korn Ferry Tour and what begins he might get within the massive leagues with hopes of getting again.
This can be an enormous week for that. The World Wide Technology Championship is the fifth of seven occasions within the “FedEx Cup Fall” when gamers are attempting to complete within the high 125 to have full standing for 2024.
Villegas is at No. 223, and nothing in need of a victory would do. A runner-up end would at the least get him near the No. 125 spot.
“Obviously it’s huge, especially next year where we’ve got all those elevated events and who knows what the field are going to be,” Villegas mentioned. “But hey, I’m not worried about that. I’ve been out here a long time. Yes, I want to be out here for many more years, but things don’t change, man. Wake up every morning to the same things and play good, get better and you just got to let rest take care of business.”
Kim is locked in for his card subsequent 12 months at No. 82. His goal is ending among the many high 60, which might make him eligible for the primary two $20 million occasions subsequent 12 months at Pebble Beach and Riviera. He dropped just one shot on the par-3 ninth, and had 5 birdies on the again.
Kuchar is No. 66 and wasn’t conscious he might get into at the least two of the $20 million “signature events” till late within the common season. He caught to what he enjoys, nevertheless, going over to Europe for just a few weeks to play the Dunhill Links Championship and Andalucia Masters.
Young, at No. 17 the best-ranked participant within the area, didn’t play in any respect. He missed out on the Tour Championship, after which was left off the Ryder Cup group. The break did him effectively. Young mentioned he practiced persistently for 2 months.
On this extensive golf course, and the best way he beats the quilt off the golf ball, he hit all 14 fairways to at the least give himself loads of possibilities. Young is thought to be one of many high younger skills in golf who continues to be searching for his first victory. He already has had three beauty within the majors.
“It’s been years since I’ve actually been home for that long,” Young mentioned. “Just the ability to go out and really try some things and work through some issues that I felt like I had was honestly kind of fun for me. I haven’t had the chance to do that without the pressure of an event coming up in a long time.
“And two, I think very productive. I think I learned some things in my golf swing. It’s nice to come out and see them kind of work in the first competitive round.”
Ludvig Aberg, who turned professional in June and received on the European tour in September to get on the Ryder Cup group for Europe, was amongst these taking part in within the afternoon.
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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
(This story has not been edited by News18 employees and is revealed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)
