Streb fires 63 to pace Sea Island

Villegas closes with eagle, sits two back

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. — Robert Streb birdied his last two holes on the Plantation course at Sea Island and matched his career low with a 9-under-par 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 fairway and bounced enough that 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 12 feet away for a closing eagle and a 66.

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

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

“I don’t want to be the 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 lone 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 is 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 tumors on her brain and spine. She died in July. Villegas has his brother as a caddie — Manny, who played professionally — and that helps keep his mind on the golf.

“There’s so much happening on the golf course, you’re so focused, and that’s what I’ve been doing all our life,” Villegas said. “Having my brother on the bag has helped, too. He keeps me in check.”

Villegas is a four-time winner — his most recent victory was six years ago — and knows not to get too caught up at the halfway point. Even so, he is building confidence mainly from his shoulder feeling good and knowing he has put in the work.

“It’s not a two-day thing,” Villegas said. “It’s a process.”

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).

Of the top 10 on the leaderboard, past Sea Island winner Kevin Kisner was the only one who played the par-70 Seaside course, where he made a 35-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole for a 66.

■ LPGA: At Belleair, Fla., second-ranked Sei Young Kim shot 5-under 65 for an 8-under 132 total and a one-stroke Pelican Women’s Championship lead over Ally McDonald (66). Kim is making her first start since winning the KPMG Women’s PGA last month, and Mcdonald won her first tour title last month in the Drive On Championship. Firstround leader Sophia Popov (70), the Women’s British Open winner in August, was tied for third at 6 under.

■ European PGA: At Johannesburg, Jacques Blaauw shot 8-under 63 for a 13-under 129 total to lead the Joburg Open by one stroke over 20-year-old fellow South African Wilco Nienaber (67), a first-round co-leader.