Tired Woods to skip Tour finale
Tiger Woods is skipping the Tour Championship next week for the first time in his career, saying he is mentally and physically tired from a hectic stretch through the Ryder Cup.
"I'm confident that this extended break will help me to recharge my batteries for the 2007 season," Woods said on his website.
It was a huge blow to the season-ending event at East Lake in Atlanta, the PGA Tour's version of an All-Star game for the top 30 players on its money list.
Masters champion Phil Mickelson is done playing for the year, and with Stephen Ames out with a back injury, the 27-man field is the smallest since the Tour Championship began in 1987.
Woods ended his PGA Tour earlier than ever, on Oct. 1, winning the
PGA -- On a windy day replete with drama, including a police chase, K.J. Choi shot 5-under-par 66 for a one-shot lead over Ernie Els, Brian Gay, and Johnathan Byrd at the Chrysler Championship in Palm Harbor, Fla.
During the middle of the round, officers with guns drawn sought a pair of juveniles accused of burglarizing a nearby house.
"Never had a manhunt out here," said Gay, whose drive was interrupted when police came onto the third tee box.
The Chrysler is the final full-field event of the year as players battle to get into the top 30 on the money list to get into next week's Tour Championship, the top 40 to secure Masters invitations, or the top 125 to keep their cards.
European -- Paul Casey's bid for the European money title may be in jeopardy after a 1-over 72 on a cold and rainy day at the Volvo Masters in Sotogrande, Spain, that left him 10 strokes behind Henrik Stenson.
Stenson shot a 68 and was at 138, one stroke better than Lee Westwood (70).
Casey had a 76 in the first round, and entered the final event at Valderrama with a $274,080 lead over Padraig Harrington, who is four behind Stenson.
Champions -- Tom Kite eagled the par-4 11th hole for the second straight round and finished with a 4-under 68 to take a one-stroke lead over Jay Haas and Jim Thorpe in the
European LPGA -- Annika Sorenstam shot a 4-under 68 and led by five strokes halfway through the Dubai Ladies Masters.
LPGA -- South Korea's Joo Mi Kim shot a bogey-free 6-under 66 to take a one-stroke lead over countrywoman and defending champion Jee Young Lee at the Kolon-Hana Bank Championship in Gyeongju, South Korea. Amateur -- Three-time Canadian Amateur champion Richard Scott birdied his final hole to help Canada take a one-stroke lead over the United States after the second round of the World Amateur Team Championship at Stellenbosch, South Africa.
Mickey Wright, 71, whom many consider the greatest female golfer in history, has been diagnosed with breast cancer and had surgery yesterday, longtime manager Peggy Wilson told The Palm Beach Post.
