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San Diego • Tiger Woods is going to have to wait to pursue another win at Torrey Pines.
A thick fog shrouded the course along the Pacific bluffs on Saturday and essentially wiped out the entire day at the Farmers Insurance Open. Woods, a six-time winner of this tournament, had a two-shot lead and never even bothered coming to the golf course. Three players completed one hole — and that was after a three-hour delay.
Players were to resume the third round Sunday morning and go as long as daylight allowed, and then finish Monday.
And that's a best-case scenario.
In a bizarre twist, tour officials were hopeful of rain and a little wind Sunday morning, two elements that most golfers dread. That's what is needed, however, to keep the fog away from Torrey Pines and allow the tournament to resume.
"When Mother Nature doesn't want you to play, you can't play," said Mark Russell, the tour vice president of competition.
Russell said there would not be a 54-hole cut for 87 players — typically there is a cut when the field is more than 78 players on Saturday. Instead, they will take a short lunch break and go back out, racing time when fog allows. The groups will stay the same until the tournament is over.
"I think the coolest thing that can come from it is that I think it looks like we're going to be paired together for 36 holes," Billy Horschel said of Woods. "So it's a pretty cool thing that's going to happen. It's just going to be a fun day tomorrow and Monday. So we'll see how it goes."
Saturday began with a 30-minute delay that soon stretched into three hours, and the sun broke through the clouds as Hunter Mahan, Robert Garrigus and John Mallinger teed off on the 10th hole at the South Course. Five minutes later, the horn sounded. Because it was for weather, they were able to finish the hole. Mahan's caddie took a picture of the 11th tee, a 216-yard par 3, and the visibility was no more than 50 yards.
Woods won in 2005 at Torrey Pines when fog interrupted the tournament, though it was completed on Sunday.
Qatar Masters
Chris Wood eagled the 18th hole to win the Qatar Masters for his first European Tour title, overtaking Sergio Garcia and George Coetzee. The 142nd-ranked Englishman hit a 6-iron from 200 yards to 12 feet to set up the winning putt. He closed with a 3-under 69 to finish at 18-under 270. Garcia and Coetzee tied for second, a stroke back. Garcia shot a 66, and Coetzee had a 65.