Villegas has 3-shot advantage

Associated Press

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla.

Ashes fell from the sky, smoke filled the air and a thick haze hovered over PGA National.

Some might have found breathing difficult at the Honda Classic.

Camilo Villegas wasn’t among them.

Once threatening to run away after a sizzling start, Villegas came back to the pack on his back nine and wound up rallying to take a three-shot lead over Nathan Green and Vijay Singh after three rounds. Villegas is at 11-under 199, so even after making three bogeys in a five-hole stretch in what became a round of 67, he’ll be the one to catch today.

“I’ve been nice and relaxed,” said Villegas. “So we’ll show up tomorrow the same way and try to play some good golf.”

Green (67) and Singh (69) are at 8 under, while George McNeill (66) and Matt Every (69) were tied for fourth at 6 under. Anthony Kim, who shared the 36-hole lead with Villegas, shot 73 and wound up six shots back entering the final round, tied with Michael Connell (69).