Villegas leads the Buick Invitational

LA JOLLA, Calif., Feb. 5 (UPI) -- Camilo Villegas opened with a 9-under-par 63 Thursday and holds a 3-stroke advantage at the PGA Buick Invitational in La Jolla, Calif.

The 63 equaled Villegas' PGA career-best single-round total and came after he missed the cut at last week's FBR Open.

Play rotates over the easier North Course and the South Course, where Tiger Woods won an epic 19-hole playoff over Rocco Mediate at last year's U.S. Open.

Neither Woods nor Mediate is entered in this event, with Woods, the four-time defending champion, still rehabbing his surgically repaired left knee, and Mediate out for what was described as personal reasons.

"It's a good feeling," Villegas said. "I've always said Thursday everybody starts from zero. Even though those wins give you confidence, at the end of the day, nothing is free out here."

At 6-under 66, Davis Love III, the 1996 champion, and Aaron Baddeley share second place.

Villegas, Love and Baddeley all played the North Course Thursday.