By Fred Albers, PGATOUR.COM Correspondent
The 18th hole has been 442 yards of
torture for players this week. It ranks as the second-hardest hole
on the golf course and gave a brutal demonstration of difficulty to
Camilo Villegas on Saturday. With the hole cut just nine paces onto
the right side of the green, players kept spinning the ball off the
false front and back down into the fairway. For Villegas, it turned
into "groundhog day." He would spin it off the green, then hit it
long and chip it back over the green again. It wound up as a 10 for
Villegas with a score of 47 on his inward nine.
What started as allergies for Tiger
Woods has developed into a sinus problem. He ran a fever on Friday
night and was visibly sick during Saturday's round. Woods took
several breaks while warming up on the driving range and would sit
down when given a chance on tee boxes. Tiger battled through the
illness but his putter looked equally fatigued. Woods made no putts
longer than 4 feet, 8 inches and had a total of 40 feet, 9 inches
worth of putts for the entire round.
Spencer on fire:
Spencer Levin continues to have
short game magic. He has taken a total of 73 putts for 54 holes --
the lowest of any player. Levin eliminated the putter altogether on
two holes during Saturday's round. He chipped in for eagle at the
fifth hole and then chipped in for birdie at the 10th.
Rory Sabbatini's approach into the fifth
hole sailed a little long and hit a man square in the chest. The
fan wasn't injured and when Sabbatini chipped onto the green then
made his birdie putt, he walked over to the man and gave him the
souvenir golf ball fresh out of the cup.
Levin had already conceded the miss. He
pulled his par putt on the eighth hole and was going to make bogey.
Fortunately the cup was kind. The ball rolled to the hole, did a
complete 360 and toppled into cup. Levin looked shocked. Like a
burglar, Levin strolled to the cup and snatched the ball away then
left the scene of the crime with a look of amazement on his face.