Woods Is Critical of Schedule

Tiger Woods had plenty to say Friday after shooting a five-under 66 in the second round of the Nissan Open at Riviera Country Club. And not just about his round, which moved him into a tie for 38th.

Woods discussed problems on the PGA Tour’s West Coast swing, saying sagging attendance at the Accenture Match Play Championship at La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad could be blamed on the event being scheduled for the same week as the Chrysler Classic of Tucson.

He said he had lobbied Commissioner Tim Finchem and other tour officials to have the match play event stand on its own.

“Why don’t we just have [the Match Play event] in Tucson?” Woods asked. “But no, we have to have another event, a stroke-play event, so I think the conflicting events actually hurts the Match Play and it hurts Tucson.”

The match play event is for the top 64 players in the world, so at least it can usually count on Woods’ participation.

The AT&T; National Pro-Am at Pebble Beach hasn’t been as fortunate. The last two years Woods has skipped it, making no secret of his disdain of the 180-player field, slow play, bad weather and bumpy greens.

“If they’re going to move any tournament, I think they ought to move Pebble,” Woods said. “Move the AT&T; toward the fall. I think that would be a much better time. No rain and the greens would be a lot better.”

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Ernie Els formally pulled out of the $7 million Accenture Match Play Championship at La Costa next week, saying he was choosing family priorities over his professional schedule.

Els’ 4-year-old daughter, Samantha, starts school the next week.

“As every parent knows, this is a milestone in the life of a child and I therefore have chosen to share this time with my daughter and family,” Els said.

Geography was probably another issue. Els and his family reside in London, the Match Play is in Carlsbad and the tournament after that is in Dubai.

Also, Els doesn’t care much for La Costa, where he hasn’t played well. He lost in the first round last year and in the second round in 2002.

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Carl Petterson made a hole-in-one on the 173-yard 14th hole. It was the first hole in one on tour this season. Petterson shot 69 and finished at five under par, seven strokes off the lead.

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Stuart Appleby leads the tournament with 16 birdies through two rounds and, not surprisingly, is positioned among the top 10. Paul Azinger, who is second with 15 birdies, is down the leader board a bit. He’s tied for 38th at four under par.

Azinger shot 64 in the second round with nine birdies and two bogeys. In the first round, he had a 74 with six birdies, three bogeys, a double bogey and a quadruple-bogey eight on the eighth hole. He has only 51 putts through two rounds and leads the tournament with a 1.435 putting average.

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Tee times for the third round have been moved up in an effort to beat the rain that is expected this afternoon. The first groups will tee off at 7 a.m. with the leaders going out at 9.

Players will be grouped in threesomes and start from the first and 10th tees.

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The cut fell at one under par and even though Darren Clarke shot four-under 68 in the second round, he missed by eight shots. Clarke had an 82 on Thursday.

Other notables who missed the cut: David Toms, Mark O’Meara, Nick Price, Brad Faxon, Jonathan Kaye and 1998 champion Billy Mayfair.

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Fashion update: Here’s the daily report on Jesper Parnevik: gray and purple argyle sweater, white slacks, white cap and white shoes with purple trim.