[dwjm3]

I find interesting that Rory is playing in the Target World Challenge. I guess his annoying comments to the media must not bother Tiger.

[Irridium]

on a side note, at the Nedbank they mentioned that his deal with Nike was up on the 31st Dec.

[drpino]

from official website FAQ:

Q - How does a player qualify to play in the Target World Challenge?
A - Tournament host Tiger Woods heads the field of 16 elite PGA TOUR players including the top 11 available from the Official World Golf Ranking, the Defending Champion and four special exemption players selected by the Tiger Woods Foundation.

Rory snuck in as #11 in the WGR.

[boon44]

"Hold your friends close and your enemies closer".....

[e-dog9]

Given Rory's ranking Tiger has to invite him; otherwise he'd look pretty darn petty. I don't get the sense that he's petty.

[BEND OF THE RIVER GC]

Tiger is probably not petty and beside it gives him yet another opportunity to put the smack down on him by say 11 or 12 strokes (or more)...

[M-Grind]

I think Tiger is professional enough not to hold a grudge.

[mat562]

Nikey Mikey, on Dec 14 2007, 06:04 PM, said:

I think Tiger is professional enough not to hold a grudge.

...in public.

[wkuo3]

e-dog9, on Dec 13 2007, 05:50 PM, said:

Given Rory's ranking Tiger has to invite him; otherwise he'd look pretty darn petty. I don't get the sense that he's petty.

The question is the reverse, why should Sabbatini play in someone's tournament he once opened his big mouth on?
If he really meant what he said, he'd find excuses not to play in the event.

[MCCA]

I'm guessing Rory won't get another invite:

mcca





THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- Rory Sabbatini didn't let the year end without getting under Tiger Woods' skin one last time.




Sabbatini

In a move that left players shaking their head, Sabbatini withdrew from the final round of the Target World Challenge on Sunday citing "personal reasons," the first player in the nine-year history of the event to leave early.

Sabbatini still received $170,000. He was in last place heading into the final round, 28 shots behind.

A locker room attendant, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release information, said Sabbatini cleaned out his locker Saturday night saying he was headed to Maui, where he spends his Christmas vacation.

His agent, Bud Martin, said Sabbatini told him he withdrew because of shin splints.

"He had shin splints that were bothering him yesterday," Martin said after talking to Sabbatini on Sunday morning. "He went home overnight and worked on them with his trainer, and they weren't getting any better. He said he wasn't going to risk it."

Sabbatini had played the previous two weeks in South Africa and Australia. He opens next year on Jan. 3 at the Mercedes-Benz Championship, having qualified by his victory at the Colonial this year.

"They don't have any flights to Hawaii tonight?" Fred Couples said, shaking his head. "He's messing with the wrong guy."

Woods, the tournament host, shook his head when asked about Sabbatini but did not comment as he went to eat breakfast before preparing for the final round. Woods had a six-shot lead over Jim Furyk.

Sabbatini was scheduled to be in the first group with Brett Wetterich, who played Sunday as a single.

PGA Tour officials said regulations allow for Sabbatini to collect unofficial last-place money, typical of any tournament when a player withdraws on the weekend. In this case, the entire purse is unofficial, and last place pays $170,000.

"He should give that back to the foundation," Couples said.

Sabbatini qualified for the 16-man field through his world ranking, which now is at No. 11. He finished at No. 6 on the PGA Tour money list with a career-high $4.5 million, but his year was best remembered for calling out Woods.

They played in the final round at the Wachovia Championship, where Woods overcame a one-shot deficit to win. Sabbatini, who had said he wanted Woods in the final group at Quail Hollow, said the following week that Woods looked as "beatable as ever."

"I've seen Tiger when he hits the ball well," Sabbatini said. "I've seen him when he figures it out. It's scary. I don't want to see that anymore. I like the new Tiger."

Woods responded by saying the "new Tiger" had three victories in 2007 at that point, "the same amount he's won in his career." Woods finished the season with seven victories.

They were paired again in the final round at the Bridgestone Invitational, and Sabbatini said it would be a rubber match. Woods beat him at Wachovia, but Sabbatini said he outscored him in the final round of the 1996 NCAA Championship, where Woods had an eight-shot lead going into the last round and won the title by three shots in his last year at Stanford.

At Firestone, Woods turned a one-shot deficit into a seven-shot lead at the turn and won by eight.

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press

[mat562]

Another chapter in the 'How to Make Yourself Look Like a Fool' book by Sabbatini

[Swingtheclub]

Hey the poor guy had shin splints

Of course if he did not decide to withdraw until Sunday morning why did he clean out his locker Saturday night


Once a jerk always a jerk its that simple


Maybe he is going to Hawaii so he can compare notes with Wie

[wkuo3]

Couples is right, if Sabbatini was in the right frame of mind, he should donate the $170K last place price back into the foundation.
He gets the tax write off, and the foundation keeps the money and he'll look better and hopefully understanding from the fans and host TW.

MCCA, on Dec 16 2007, 03:07 PM, said:

I'm guessing Rory won't get another invite:

mcca
http://sports.espn.g...tory?id=3157217

[mat562]

Maybe he is going to Hawaii so he can compare notes with Wie


Both of them are booked into the five star resort at Mauna Quitters...

[Skaffa77]

Any word on why Rory WD'd from the Target World Challenge???????

[minitour]

MCCA, on Dec 16 2007, 03:07 PM, said:

They were paired again in the final round at the Bridgestone Invitational, and Sabbatini said it would be a rubber match. Woods beat him at Wachovia, but Sabbatini said he outscored him in the final round of the 1996 NCAA Championship, where Woods had an eight-shot lead going into the last round and won the title by three shots in his last year at Stanford.

At Firestone, Woods turned a one-shot deficit into a seven-shot lead at the turn and won by eight.

I think this is my favorite thing about Rory. He sees the good in everything.

Here's a guy that got beat by 3 by a Tiger that (I think) shot 80 in the final round of the NCAAs and he thinks it was a win for him (Rory).

That's either incredibly positive thinking or mildly delusional. I think it's time for Mr. Sabbatini to shut his pie hole until his game can keep up. All he is doing is proving that he belongs in a Home Depot...

-mini

[MonkeySpin]

He is classless and I highly doubt he'll donate the 170K. But, you have to agree, that his personality makes good TV.

[wkuo3]

His problem is, his ego is bigger than his a#%, and he's in "denial" to the fact.
One of the thing which I love golf is, put your action where your mouth is, show or shut up.
There is nothing wrong losing in a tournament, but lose it like a man.

[Skaffa77]

Skaffa77, on Dec 16 2007, 03:55 PM, said:

Any word on why Rory WD'd from the Target World Challenge???????

I probably should read more closely since it was discussed earlier in the thread! BRAIN FART! Thanks for better details. The broadcast stated "personal reasons".

Shin splints....sounds more like an injuried pride and brusied ego.

[blkjazz]

Poor Rory. Personal reasons. Yep.

[minitour]

blkjazz, on Dec 16 2007, 05:35 PM, said:

Poor Rory. Personal reasons. Yep.

I believe it. Personal reasons...IOW, he now KNOWS he's an @$$/tool/d*ck/adjective of choice?

-mini