American John Rollins reeled off three early birdies to surge past overnight pacesetter Camilo Villegas before taking a three-shot lead in the Buick Invitational third round on Saturday. Although he faltered with three three-putt bogeys in the last seven holes on another wet and breezy day at Torrey Pines, Rollins took control of the tournament with a two-under-par 70. “I'm very pleased with the way I played,” the 33-year-old told reporters after mixing five birdies with three bogeys for a 12-under total of 204 in pursuit of his third PGA Tour title. “I hit the ball well and I made some putts. The three three-putts were my only bogeys. All in all, I'm very pleased and I'm looking forward to tomorrow.” Colombian Villegas, who had led after the first two rounds, dropped three shots in a shaky outward nine on his way to a 74 and outright second place. American Nick Watney, whose only PGA Tour victory came at the 2007 New Orleans Classic, was a further two strokes adrift at seven under after carding a 71. “It was a tough day out there,” the 27-year-old Villegas said after a round featuring two birdies, two bogeys and a double-bogey at the ninth. “Weather-wise it's a little annoying when you've got rain gear on, rain gear off, rain gear on, rain gear off but you've just got to be patient. “I hit it nicely out there. Unfortunately I made a couple of mistakes that set me a little bit back. But I'll come back tomorrow with a good attitude and give it my best.” Rollins, who won the most recent of his two Tour titles at the 2006 B.C. Open, made his first move at the par-four second where he rolled in a 12-foot birdie putt to join Villegas at 11 under. Despite finding a fairway bunker off the tee at the par-four fourth, he struck a superb six-iron approach to 10 feet to set up his second birdie of the day. With world number 11 Villegas starting out with six consecutive pars, Rollins forged two ahead at the par-five sixth after reaching the green in two and two-putting. The Colombian then dropped a further stroke behind with a bogey at the par-four seventh, missing the fairway to the right off the tee and pulling his approach left of the green. Villegas fared even worse at the par-five ninth where he ran up an ugly double-bogey. After finding the right rough off the tee, he punched out a low second and ended up in a greenside bunker with his third. His fourth shot sailed over the back of the green from where he failed to get up and down for bogey. Although Villegas picked up his first shots of the day on 11 and 13, Rollins maintained his advantage by offsetting bogeys on 12 and 15 with birdies at the 13th and 17th. He rammed in a 22-footer on the 17th green to stretch his lead to four before lipping out with a four-foot par putt at the last. “Disappointing to get a hard lip-out like that on 18 when you feel like you hit a good putt,” Rollins said. “Unfortunately on these types of greens, that kind of stuff happens.” Triple champion Phil Mickelson birdied the last for a 73 to lie 11 shots off the pace at one under, with Irish world number three Padraig Harrington a further four strokes adrift after a 74.
