Reuters
Wednesday, November 8

SOTOGRANDE, Spain -- Tiger Woods on Tuesday refused to openly criticize a dozen top Americans who pulled out of this week's $5 million Valderrama World Championship event.

But he suggested that anyone who wanted to take his crown as the world's No. 1 player would need to make the effort to play across the globe.

"They didn't feel like playing any more," said Woods, who flew to Spain on Tuesday. "They're trying to get ready for the holiday season and take some time off with their families, that's the best way of looking at it. It's a long season, a lot of guys have played a lot this year."

Valderrama, the finale of both the Eurpean and U.S. tours and designed as a showpiece of world golf, has been shorn of 13 leading players, including five ranked in the world's top 10 and eight in the top 20, cutting the field back from 68 to 55.

World No. 3 Phil Mickelson, who beat Woods to win The Tour Championship on Sunday, and David Duval, the world No. 4, are among them. Mickelson argued the tournament did not fit in with his schedule.

Greg Norman is also missing.

Woods added he had never considered opting out of the event.

"I was going to support this event ... I feel, to be the world's best, you have to play around the world. It's part of an educational process; it will help you."

The four-event World Golf Championship series, co-sanctioned by all the world's major tours, was launched in 1999. But its prestige has been quickly compromised, with several U.S. tour events offering equally lucrative purses.

The other missing Americans are Hal Sutton, Davis Love III, Tom Lehman, Jim Furyk (wrist injury), Stewart Cink, John Huston, Fred Couples, Paul Azinger, Notah Begay III and Loren Roberts.

"It's a bit disappointing," said Darren Clarke, leading the European Order of Merit. "The whole idea about the World Golf Championship was to get the best players in the world.

"A million dollars to them isn't a huge amount of money -- it is to everybody else, but not to them. Maybe if it was $2 million you could get them."

Clarke's manager, Andrew Chandler, said the event had been saved by Woods' presence.

"It would have been a disaster if he wasn't here," he said.

Colin Montgomerie, Europe's No. 1 golfer for the past seven seasons, said last week he could understand the attitude of the Americans.

"It seems to be just another tournament for them, and they are having to travel an awful long way for it," said Montgomerie. "That's the strength of the U.S. Tour ... it is hurting international and world golf."

Woods, with winnings of more than $9 million on the U.S. Tour this year, would match Sam Snead's 10 victories in a season in 1950 if he wins at Valderrama.

The European Tour Order of Merit will also be decided, with Clarke -- who beat Woods in the first World Golf Championship event of the season -- leading the rankings ahead of Lee Westwood.