Camilo Villegas and Steve Stricker were excited to be playing golf Friday for different reasons, and it showed during a soggy start to the BMW Championship at St. Louis.

Villegas, coming off a tie for third last week that allowed him to advance in the PGA Tour Playoffs, continued his good form with eight birdies on long, soft Bellerive Country Club for a 5-under 65 that gave him a one-shot lead.

The 26-year-old Colombian is confident in his game.

"I'm excited right now," Villegas said. "I feel really good about my golf."

Stricker made a 35-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole for a 4-under 66, tied with Kenny Perry, Tim Herron, Stuart Appleby and Andres Romero.

ALSO FRIDAY

EUROPEAN MASTERS: Rory McIlroy shot an even-par 71 for a share of the lead with defending champion Brett Rumford after the second round of the event at Crans-Sur-Sierres, Switzerland, where American teen Tadd Fujikawa missed the cut.

NYKREDIT MASTERS: In her final tournament in Europe, Annika Sorenstam shot a 2-under 71 to drop five strokes behind leader Martina Eberl after the first round of the tournament at Helsingoer, Denmark. Sorrenstam will retire at the end of the season.

Eberl, from Germany, had a 66 for a one-stroke lead over England's Melissa Reid.

NATIONWIDE TOUR: Peter Tomasulo, Chris Stroud, Brian Stuard and Jonathan Fricke had holes-in-one Friday in the second round of the Utah Championship at Sandy, Utah, the first time in Nationwide Tour history that there have been four aces in a round. Tomasulo and Stroud finished with 67s, Fricke had a 68, and Stuard a 69. David Brenshaw led after a 63.

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