Villegas Edges Four Ahead At Torrey Pines

`This is the tournament I want to win and hopefully I win this and get into a few more majors,` added Hoffman.

Colombia's Camilo Villegas defied wildly fluctuating weather conditions to stretch his lead to four shots early in Friday's second round at the Buick Invitational.

Three ahead overnight at Torrey Pines, the 27-year-old carded a two-under-par 72 in breezy, wet conditions for an 11-under total of 133.

Villegas mixed three birdies with a lone bogey on the picturesque South Course, the more difficult of the two par-72 layouts hosting the PGA Tour.

San Diego native Charley Hoffman fired a seven-birdie 66 on the North Course to lie four strokes adrift, one ahead of fellow American Paul Goydos, who also returned a 66 on the North layout.

Villegas, seeking his third PGA Tour title, was happy with his round after a difficult day of intermittent rain and sunshine at the wind-swept coastal venue.

"I think I accomplished my goal," he told reporters after covering his last nine holes in level par.

"I looked at my caddie walking down the 10th fairway and it was just pouring. I told him: 'Listen, let's find a way to keep it around par and maybe somehow get it in the red numbers'.

"We did get a little lucky with the rain and the forecast but it was still playing tough, especially considering the fact that I only hit four fairways out there today.

TOP FLIGHT

"So I scrambled pretty good," added the muscular Colombian, who broke through into the top flight last year by winning the final two playoff events of the PGA Tour's FedExCup. "Two under, I'm happy with it."

The long-haired Hoffman, whose only Tour victory came at the 2007 Bob Hope Classic, was delighted to charge into contention at a venue he has played since his youth.

"I've watched this tournament since I can remember," he said after rattling up three birdies in his last five holes.

"I remember coming out here and watching Fuzzy (Zoeller) and John Daly and great guys who won 20 years ago. This is my major. I'm not in any majors this year.

"This is the tournament I want to win and hopefully I win this and get into a few more majors," added Hoffman, who was beaten by fellow American Kenny Perry in a playoff for last week's Phoenix Open.

Three-times winner Phil Mickelson carded a 72 on the North Course to lie nine shots off the pace, three ahead of Irish world number three Padraig Harrington (74).

The cut was projected to fall at two-over 146 with former major winners Corey Pavin, Bob Tway, Lee Janzen and Todd Hamilton likely to miss out.