Sabbatini slogs to lead at Nissan Open

0 Comments | Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Feb 18, 2006 | by Associated Press

Rory Sabbatini couldn't feel his toes when he teed off Friday morning at frigid Riviera. Tiger Woods couldn't keep dry, stuck in the afternoon rain without an umbrella.

By the end of a wacky day at the Nissan Open in Los Angeles, they only thing they had in common was a tee time today.

Sabbatini warmed up quickly with five straight birdies around the turn for a 6-under 65, which ultimately gave him a four-shot lead going into the weekend.

Woods was lucky to survive the cut.

He was surprised, like so many other players, when sunshine gave way to iron-gray clouds, temperatures plunged and rain -- an old friend at Riviera -- fell steadily. He put on a rain jacket, thrust his hands in his pockets and walked toward the sixth green, with caddie Steve Williams covering the clubs with a towel.

"Tiger, take my umbrella," two fans shouted as he walked with his head down.

"Those little things?" Woods said later. "They're not going to keep you dry."

What he needed was some putts, but when three straight failed to drop -- making bogey on the last two holes -- he staggered off the ninth green with his 1-over 143 not good enough to make the cut. He thought his chances were over when he stood over an 8-foot par putt on the ninth hole, cap turned backward, and missed.

The only help he got came from behind him.

Steve Elkington made bogey from the bunker on the ninth hole. Kevin Na made consecutive bogeys, then Jesper Parnevik -- the Swede who set up Woods with his wife -- made four consecutive bogeys. That combination bumped the cut to 1 over, and set up a dynamic pairing of Woods and J.B. Holmes, the young basher who powered his way to a seven-shot win in Phoenix.

Former BYU golfer Dean Wilson, who shared the lead after the first round, shot a 73 and is five shots off the pace.

More rain is expected today, but it's a safe bet the players will come prepared.

Brent Geiberger not only forgot his umbrella, he didn't have any rain pants or a jacket. Len Mattiace was so soaked when he finished that he tossed his wet cap into the trash.

Kevin Sutherland chipped in for eagle from 100 feet when the rain came down the hardest. Not only did it carry him to a 70 that put him at 4-under 138, there was a fringe benefit.

"It was nice to stay under the umbrella a little longer," he said.

Whether anyone can catch Sabbatini remains to be seen.

Sabbatini was in the second group off Friday morning, and it was so frigid he could barely grip the club over a chip on the 10th hole that he bladed over the green, making bogey.

"I couldn't feel my toes or my hands when I played it," Sabbatini said. "I hit a chip clear over the green. I even hit it clean over the back bunker. It was actually funny, walking on the 14th tee today, I looked at Tommy Armour and said, 'Yes, I can actually feel my toes again.' He had the same thought process."

Then again, Sabbatini has been hot all year.

He already has two second-place finishes -- in Honolulu and last week at Pebble Beach -- and has not finished lower than 20th in his five starts this year.

Sabbatini was at 10-under 132, four shots ahead of Thomas Levet (68) and Craig Barlow (69).

SBS OPEN: At Kahuku, Hawaii, South Korea's Joo Mi Kim tied the SBS Open record with a 7-under 65 for a share of the second-round lead with compatriot Sung Ah Yim and Becky Iverson at 9-under 135. The three were in the morning session, which had an easy time in balmy and unusually calm conditions. But the weather challenged the afternoon players. Former University of Tulsa standout Stacy Prammanasudh (67) was 8 under and Soo Young Moon (67) was another stroke back. Rookie Kyeong Bae, coming off a two-win season on the Futures Tour, shot a 71 to reach 6 under.

THE ACE GROUP CLASSIC: At Naples, Fla., Loren Roberts opened his bid for a third straight Champions Tour victory with a 5-under 67, leaving him two strokes behind leader R.W. Eaks after the first round of The ACE Group Classic. Roberts, coming off season-opening wins in Hawaii, is attempting to become the first player to win the first three events of the season.

MALAYSIAN OPEN: At Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Wales' David Park shot an 8-under 64 to take a one-stroke lead in the rain-delayed second round of the Malaysian Open. Park had a 13-under 131 total on the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club course.

JACOB'S CREEK OPEN: At Adelaide, Australia, former New Mexico star Spencer Levin shot a 4-under 68 for a share of the second- round lead in the Jacob's Creek Open with Nationwide Tour regular Ryan Armour. Armour shot a 67 to match Levin at 7-under 137 on the Royal Adelaide course.