Sabbatini out in front
South African Rory Sabbatini still led the Nissan Open in Los Angeles after nine holes of his third round today – and he did not need to worry about Tiger Woods.
Woods’ hopes of a third straight victory this year ended when he withdrew from an event he has now failed to win in 11 attempts.
The world number one, suffering from ‘flu symptoms all week, had only just survived the halfway cut on one over par – but as more rain fell at Riviera Country Club this morning, word came through that he had decided not to continue.
He would have had to make up 11 strokes on Sabbatini, four clear of the field overnight, to make it a hat-trick of wins this season.
Woods’ agent Mark Steinberg said: “Everyone saw how Tiger felt this week, struggling with the ‘flu, and he just can’t shake it.
“He feels awful. This is an event he loves to play in and strives to win. Tiger doesn’t want to pull out of any event ever, much less the Nissan Open in his home town.”
Woods‘ focus now will be on recovering fitness for the start of the Accenture world match play championship in San Diego on Wednesday. He is scheduled to play Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell in the first round of a tournament he has won twice in the last three years.
His decision today denied fans the chance to see him go head-to-head for the first time with the rising star of American golf JB Holmes, who won the Phoenix Open two weeks ago by seven shots in only his fourth US Tour start as a professional.
Sabbatini resumed on 10 under par just as the rain was replaced by sunshine.
After the disappointment of three-putting the 503-yard first for par, the 29-year-old – twice a runner-up on the US Tour already this season – struck his 164-yard approach to the seventh to within four feet of the flag.
Out in 34 he was 11 under, one ahead of little-known American Dean Wilson who had shared the first-round lead with Britain’s Justin Rose.
A second-round 74 had dropped Rose off the leaderboard – and although he covered his first 13 holes in one under today, he was in a tie for 12th spot and six adrift of Sabbatini.
Joint third on eight under were Americans John Rollins, Craig Barlow and Ryder Cup captain Tom Lehman who if he was to win the title would leap from 21st to fifth in the race for places in his side.
Lehman has insisted right from his appointment that he does not rule out being a playing captain at the K Club near Dublin in September. He would certainly love to have to make that decision come the summer.
France’s Thomas Levet led the European challenge at halfway, but a front-nine 37 dropped him from tied second to joint 22nd on four under.
Lee Westwood, fourth after his fine 66 in the cold and wet of Friday afternoon, was alongside Rose on five under. Luke Donald was one further back, and Greg Owen failed to make the most of a 40-foot eagle putt on the first - being three under and joint 31st with one to play.
Paul McGinley was also hoping for good things when he set off again at two under. But there he remained after 14 holes, and that meant a slide from 27th to 39th place.
