Tiger ‘Rolls-Roycing it’ to close terrific year

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The only question after that was the margin of victory, and whether Rory Sabbatini made it safely to Hawaii.

Sabbatini, who was in last place going into the final round, withdrew from the 16-man field Sunday morning. He told the PGA Tour he was pulling out for “personal reasons,” but his agent later said it was due to shin splints.

A locker room attendant said Sabbatini told him Saturday night he was leaving for Maui, and tournament officials were still looking for his courtesy car late Sunday afternoon.

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The South African still received $170,000 for last place, but perhaps lost some respect along the way.

“I think I could have toughed it out one more round,” Mark Calcavecchia said. “I don’t think the fans missed him.”

Told that Sabbatini’s agent said the reason was shin splints, Fred Couples wasn’t buying.

“Of course, he did,” Couples said. “And Roger Clemens’ agent said he didn’t do steroids.”

Asked if he minded that Sabbatini took off, a cold stare from Woods said otherwise.

“I’d like to try and get to the bottom of it when I’m done here, and we’ll see what happens,” he said.

It certainly had no bearing on the tournament. Woods hasn’t been seen at a golf tournament in 10 weeks, and it was as though he never left. His swing wasn’t as polished as it was the first two rounds, but it was no different from his summer surge when it counted.

“I took four weeks off and struggled,” Paul Casey said after finishing 21 shots behind. “We have a saying in England that he was Rolls-Roycing it. You fire up the car and it purrs perfectly. I’m very envious.”

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