Streb’s 63 lifts him to RSM lead

ST. SIMON S ISLAND— Robert Streb birdied his last two hole son the Plantation course at Sea Island and matched his career low with a 9- under 63, giving him a two- shot lead over Camilo Villegas on Friday in the RSM Classic.

Villegas had an even better finish to stay in range going into the weekend.

His tee shot on the par- 5 18th on the Plantation course hit a cart path on the right side of the fair way and bounced enough t hat he only had a 9- iron left over the water to a front pin. He was urging it to clear the water, and it landed just on the green and left him about 12 f eet away f or a closing eagle and a 66.

The final two rounds move to the Seaside course, which Joel Dahmen lit up Friday with a 9- under 61 that took him from outside the cut line to just outside the top 10.

The last four winners at the RSM Classic each had the 36- hole lead.

“I don’t want t o be t he one that breaks it ,” Streb said. “There’s still a lot of golf left, and we’ll see what happens.”

Streb was at 14- under 128 at the only tournament he has won on the PGA Tour. It was the fourth time he shot 63, the most memorable in the second round at Baltusrol in the 2016 PGA Championship.

Villegas has the same attitude — go play, count up the scores, see where he stands — though he i s not oblivious to the attention on his for all he has been through this year.

The 38- year- old Colombian missed all of 2019 recovering from a shoulder injury, and then his world was torn apart when his 2- year- old daughter, Mia, developed t umors on her brain and spine. She died in late July. Villegas has his brother as a caddie — Manny, who also played professionally — and that helps keep his mind on the golf.

“I ’ m g o i n g t o b e v e r y honest with you, there’s so much happening on the golf course, you’re so focused, and that’s what I’ve been doing all our l i f e. Having my brother on the bag has helped, too. He keeps me in check and we try to play golf when we’re out there.”

On Thursday, he saw a rainbow on the range and i t made hi m t hi nk of hi s daughter.

“Once you get on that first tee, you try to focus on golf,” he said. “I think I’ve done a good job of it.”

Bronson Burgoon also had a 63 at Plantation and was three shots behind with Sea Island resident Patton Kizzire, who had a 66 at Plantation. Harris English, another Sea Island resident, shot 66 at Plantation and was four shots behind with Kyle Stanley ( 65 on Plantation).