Woods Is Too Sick to Go On

When a flu-stricken Tiger Woods withdrew from the Nissan Open Saturday before his 9:39 a.m. tee time, it marked only the second time he has withdrawn from a PGA Tour event as a professional and the first for health reasons.

“Everyone saw how Tiger felt this week, struggling with the flu, and he just can’t shake it,” Mark Steinberg, Woods’ agent, said in a released statement. “He feels awful. This is an event he loves to play in and strives to win.”

The only other time Woods withdrew from a tournament as a professional was the 1998 AT&T; Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, a tournament that started in February and finished in August because the final two rounds were rained out. Woods did not return for the finish.

“The tournament is disappointed because the golf fans of Los Angeles aren’t able to see Tiger,” tournament director Tom Pulchinski said in a statement, “but we’re sure Tiger is more disappointed because we know he would love to win his hometown tournament.”

The last time Woods withdrew from a tour event for health reasons was the 1995 U.S. Open, when he played as an amateur and pulled out after two rounds because of an injured wrist.

Woods will be paid $8,925 for finishing last at Riviera, but it will not count on the official money list.

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Scott Miller finished his second round at around noon Friday and was one over par -- a shot outside the cut line.

Thinking he wouldn’t be back, he cleaned out his locker and headed home to Simi Valley, where he sat in front of the computer and watched live scoring updates.

It was there, at around 5:30 p.m., that the cut line fell to one over. It stayed there and Miller, who will begin his job as head pro at North Ranch Country Club on Wednesday, found out he made the cut.

“For about two hours we were just sitting in front of the computer and cheering and going, ‘Oh, no!’ ” Miller said. “We were stressed out. It was an emotional roller coaster.”

Miller, who got into the Nissan Open because he won the Southern California PGA section championship, is the first club pro to make the cut at Riviera since Robin Freeman in 2000.

He shot 74 in the third round and is tied for 74th with Jesper Parnevik, Joe Durant and 2003 British Open champion Ben Curtis at four over for the tournament.

He is guaranteed to make at least as much money as Woods.

“I don’t know if I’m going to cash this [check],” Miller joked. “My wife will, but I’ll make a photo copy and frame it.”

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Arron Oberholser, winner of last week’s AT&T; Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, withdrew from the tournament after a third-round 75, citing illness.