A Conference Call Goes Out to This Group

Tiger Woods found himself outnumbered by the enemy Saturday--a Stanford man playing in the same group with a couple of UCLA Bruins, Corey Pavin and Tom Pernice Jr.

After completing his two-under-par round of 69, Woods was jokingly asked by a reporter if he had been made “an honorary Bruin for the day.”

Woods feigned disgust.

“I’m Cardinal all the way,” Woods said.

Then, with a grin, he added, “I ought to deck you for that.”

Pavin, who shot a 67, said he and Woods occasionally trade Pac-10 barbs from tournament to tournament.

Referring to UCLA’s recent upset basketball victory at Stanford, Pavin said, “I mentioned it to him a couple weeks ago. I have to get my jabs in right now because I don’t know what’s going to happen the next time they meet. Even though it’s at Pauley [on Saturday]. I’m sure Stanford wants to avenge that loss.”

*

Pavin, meanwhile, found himself outnumbered by Tiger Nation--the fans and curiosity seekers who follow Woods’ every move across the course.

Asked about the gallery congestion that comes with playing in the same group with Woods, Pavin shrugged.

“That’s no big deal to me,” he said. “I’ve played with a lot of people at a lot of different times during their careers. It really is no big deal to me.

“I knew that people were going to be yelling and screaming. The big problem out there is people with cameras and telephones. It went up a lot today, with Tiger there. There’s more people, more phones, more pictures taken. There’s more noise with him--basically they’re taking pictures of him.

“It’s a dark day today and people are pulling out their little cameras and they have flashes on them. It can get pretty annoying in that respect.”

*

Weather Channel meteorologist Willis Young doesn’t think the weather will be that good today.

“We’re gonna be wet,” Young said.

Showers are supposed to continue until the early afternoon, then break up. Young predicts the rain will be heavier than it was Saturday. The forecast for Monday is for widely scattered showers, not expected to be heavy.

If today’s round is washed out or not completed, the PGA Tour is compelled to finish the tournament Monday. That will present a problem for many of the players who are scheduled to play at Doral this week when the tour moves to Florida.

Woods is scheduled to play in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where he is being paid a reported $2 million.

*

He has made three cuts in his 11 previous PGA Tour events, but Michael Muehr has a shot for a nice payday. Muehr is tied for sixth at six-under 207 after his 70.

Muehr, a 29-year-old New Jersey native, tied for 21st at qualifying school to get his PGA Tour card and he’s played four events this year, missing two cuts. His best finish was at Torrey Pines, where he tied for 41st.

Muehr, who has played the Nike Tour since 1997, has made $20,330 this year. Sixth place at the Nissan Open is worth $122,400.

*

It’s too bad Brent Geiberger has to play the 18th hole. Geiberger is tied for ninth, but he has played the 18th in bogey, bogey and double bogey. If he had made three pars, he would be one shot behind Davis Love III.