European Tour Dubai Classic: Tiger Woods will not be trying for the 50th individual title of his amazing career in Dubai this week. As he was winning the Accenture World Matchplay Championship in California on Sunday it was finally announced - and it came as no surprise - that he was withdrawing from the Desert Classic starting on Thursday.
Woods said he has decided not to travel outside the United States with war seemingly on the horizon. "Although I originally intended to play this week I have reluctantly decided to postpone my appearance until next year," he said.
"The organisers of the event have been extremely co-operative and supportive and I appreciate their understanding.
"They offered tremendous support and security for this proposed trip. However, for the foreseeable future, I felt it would be most prudent to avoid international travel."
The tournament's executive committee chairman Mohamed Ali Alabbar stated: "While we are disappointed with Tiger's decision we are delighted he has immediately confirmed his participation for next year.
"Losing Tiger from this week's line-up will be disappointing to his many fans in this part of the world, but we reluctantly have to respect his decision not to compete. However, we are sure they (the fans) will be as pleased as us that he has already committed himself to our tournament in 2004."
The tournament can still boast a strong field headed by defending champion and world number two Ernie Els, Padraig Harrington and Darren Clarke, but the list of withdrawals also includes three former winners in Colin Montgomerie, Seve Ballesteros and Mark James, plus Nick Faldo, Paul Casey and Adam Scott.
There appeared considerable doubt about Els' participation last Wednesday but, after further talks and watching developments on television he gave the event a massive boost by giving it the go-ahead.
"Ernie Els is a champion in every sense of the word," said Alabbar. "Ernie has a huge fan base in Dubai and I seriously hope - and expect - that the spectators turn up in their thousands to show their support for Ernie after he has shown his support for Dubai and the Desert Classic."
So far in 2003, Els has played six, won four and been second once. Dubai could have produced the first meeting of him and Woods this season, but that will now be in the Bay Hill Invitational on March 20th-23rd.
The sense of excitement about that has been added to by Woods's two-and-one victory over Ryder Cup team-mate David Toms on Sunday.
He was five-up after 19 holes, then only one ahead with two to play. But Toms unluckily found a horrid patch of rough short left of the 35th green and failed to get up and down while Woods, who was bunkered, did.
