Another Camilo making a name for himself on Tour

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Chris Condon/PGA TOUR

Camilo Bendetti had seven birdies in Thursday's opening round, finishing with a 4-under 66.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- When the chatter began in Thursday's opening round of the Winn-Dixie Jacksonville Open Presented by Planters that someone named "Camilo" was making an early move, one fan asked, "Villegas?"

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Then when realizing that Villegas is playing on the PGA TOUR full-time, the fan took a closer look. By day's end, after former University of Florida golfer Camilo Benedetti carded a 4-under 66 to put him near the top of the leaderboard, he walked off the 18th green all smiles and flattered by the comparison to his fellow Colombian.

Not only do they share the same first name and alma mater, the two golfers also grew up only 10 minutes apart in Medellin, Colombia. Ironically, early in their careers and as juniors, it was the younger Villegas, 29, who was being compared to the older Benedetti, now 31.

"Camilo and I literally were about 10 minutes apart," said Benedetti, almost three years older than Villegas. "We're friends and we grew up playing and hanging out on the same golf course. We played a bunch together, but he was always in one age group lower than mine."

Benedetti, an Orlando resident since 2003, entered this week at No. 63 on the Nationwide Tour money list and needing a strong finish at TPC Sawgrass to qualify for next week's Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island.

Thursday was the second time for Benedetti to see Dye's Valley course. "I love it," he said, "We always came to play the Stadium Course with our Florida coach, but this is a great layout."

After four birdies on the front nine and going out in 32, Benedetti ran into a little trouble on the back with bogeys at 13 and 16. But after a perfect tee shot on 18, he stuck a wedge inside six feet and rolled it in for his 66.

Should he get to Daniel Island next week, he'll be playing for one of "The 25" PGA TOUR cards and a chance to join his friend, "the other Camilo."

"I grew up with three cousins named 'Camilo' and it's a very common name," Benedetti said. "It's really funny because the Calloway representative Matt Cullen always calls me 'the other Camilo'. We already have one Colombian named Camilo up there so it would be nice to have another one."

Before the Nationwide, it was Benedetti, not Villegas, who first wore the Gator orange and blue as a member of Buddy Alexander's Florida men's golf team. Through Benedetti's influence, Villegas followed suit.

"At one point, I was helping him, I guess," Benedetti said. "I told him a lot of great things about Florida. The golf program was great. I told him if you come here, you're going to have a good time. And he did.

"Since then, his game just kept improving. Now, he's helping me by motivating me."

In 2010, Benedetti's best performance in 20 weeks of Nationwide Tour competition is a tie for fifth at the Soboba Classic. He also tied for seventh at the Fort Smith Classic.

Benedetti has been a regular member of the Nationwide Tour since 2007. Villegas, who graduated from Florida two years after his countryman, has been a regular on the PGA TOUR since 2006.

"I always knew he would do it and I'm not surprised how his game kept getting better," Benedetti said on Villegas. "Growing up and in college, he was always very mentally tough and his putting and short game was unbelievable."

If Benedetti keeps playing well this week and at Daniel Island next week, perhaps he'll get the chance to match his mental toughness against "the other Camilo" next year on the PGA TOUR.