GOLF TOUR NEWS:CAMILO VILLEGAS went into the final round of the Honda Classic at Palm Beach with a three-shot lead yesterday. A three-under-par third round of 67 on Saturday put him 11 under, while a three-over round saw joint second-round leader Anthony Kim fall off the pace.

Four birdies and three bogeys yesterday meant Villegas was leading the field by four shots on 12 under after 16 holes.

Kim, meanwhile, battled back with three birdies on his first four holes but a bogey on the 17th left him on 67, eight under par.

Vijay Singh was seven under after 16. In the chasing pack, Nathan Green and Michael Connell were six under through 16 holes.

Justin Rose finished the day on a six under 64, leaving him with a clubhouse lead of seven under, while Paul Casey finished one further back with a 67. Sweden’s Fredrik Jacobsen finished four under.

Though Graeme McDowell had left himself too much to do to catch the leaders, it didn’t stop the Portrush professional make a fast start with a couple of early birdies.

The 30-year-old started the day on four under but quickly moved to six under with birdies at his opening two holes. However, five bogeys and a double bogey on the 17th saw him finish well off the pace with a two-under 76, leaving him two over.

Rory McIlroy closed out the week with a one under 69 but it still left the 20-year-old well down the field on four over. Pádraig Harrington, who shot 70, finished on the same mark as McIlroy.

The pair, along with McDowell, will move on to the Doral Golf Resort in Florida for next week’s WGC-CA Championship.

Meanwhile, golf’s record major winner Jack Nicklaus expects his nearest challenger, Tiger Woods, to return from his self-imposed lay-off in time for next month’s US Masters.

The 71-year-old said of Woods’ return date: “I’ve been very non-committal because it’s none of my business. But my guess as a golfer is he’s going to try to play the Masters. It would surprise me if he didn’t. I suspect he will play something before Augusta too.” If 35-year-old Woods is not back by the Bay Hill Event, that only leaves April 1st’s Shell Houston Open in Texas before the year’s first major tees off.

European number one Ian Poulter also expects the world number one to be in the Masters field, and added: “I believe Tiger might play at Augusta. He’s been practising and hitting balls for some time. The Masters is still six weeks away and I haven’t spoken to him myself, but I know some players have and they think he could be close to coming back.”