KAPALUA, Hawaii – Robert Garrigus, the biggest hitter on the PGA Tour, is leading the Tournament of Champions thanks to one of the shortest clubs in his bag.
Garrigus holed out a wedge for eagle on the 16th hole, then followed that with two big drives and to set up easy birdies for a 10-under 63 and a one-shot lead going into the weekend at the season-opening event.
Garrigus, who qualified for the winners-only event in the final tournament of the PGA Tour season, was at 14-under 132 and will be in the final group with Carl Pettersson, who birdied the last hole for a 67.
Jonathan Byrd shot 68 and was another shot behind. There are plenty of players in the hunt, with Ernie Els (64), Steve Stricker (67), Francesco Molinari (67), and Jim Furyk (68) four strokes back.
Camilo Villegas was disqualified for a rules violation that a television viewer called in after the opening round. Villegas was chipping up the slope to the 15th green when the ball twice came back at him. The second time, he casually swatted away a loose piece of grass by the divot as the ball was still moving down the slope. That was a violation of Rule 23-1, and he should have taken a two-shot penalty. Villegas opened with a 72, so he was disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard.
Africa Open
EAST LONDON, South Africa (AP) – British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen shot a 6-under 67 windy conditions to move within a stroke of the lead after the second round of the Africa Open.
Austria’s Markus Brier (66), South Africa’s Branden Grace (69) and England’s Miles Tunnicliff (69) topped the leaderboard at 10 under. South Africa’s Jaco Van Zyl (70) and England’s Ross McGowan (69) joined Oosthuizen at 9 under in the tournament sanctioned by the European and Sunshine tours.
