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24 April 2024

Cool Villegas holds off Kim to triumph in Honda Classic

Camilo Villegas (SUPPLIED)

Published
By Reuters

Colombian Camilo Villegas kept his cool to win his third PGA Tour event with a five-shot victory over American Anthony Kim in the Honda Classic on Sunday.

The 28-year-old Villegas went into the final round with a three-shot lead and he swiftly doubled that advantage by producing four birdies from the first 10 holes in unusually breezy and mild Floridian weather.

However, Villegas, nicknamed 'Spider-Man' for the elastic-like flexibility he displays lining up putts, nearly lost his grip on the lead with three bogeys on the tougher back nine, including the 15th – the opener to the three hole 'Bear Trap' series.

But with his closest rival Kim bogeying the penultimate hole, Villegas regained his groove, avoiding trouble at the tricky 17th – a par three over water – and finishing his round in style with a 19-foot birdie putt.

"I had a couple of hiccups there in the back nine but winning golf tournaments is always tough. If there is a golf course where you can mess up coming in then it is this one, trust me. Those finishing holes are tough. I just picked my targets, put in good swings and took care of business," he said.

 

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