AJC > Sports > Columnists > Archives > 2007 > May > 11 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USSabbatini fires from the lip, shoots blanks
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Furman Bisher
Ponte Vedra, Fla. — Rory Sabbatini is a saucy little fellow who looks somewhat shorter than the 5-foot-10 measure awarded him by the PGA Tour Guide, a small body under the heavy load of an extended name — Rory Mario Trevor Sabbatini. He came from South Africa on a golf scholarship to University of Arizona and eventually settled in a suburb of Dallas. He came cracking wise, fit right in with the concocted image of the fictional Texan.
He admitted, in a news conference at The Players Championship this week that “I’ve become very narcissistic,” a rather stark confession from an athlete, many of whom have developed the same self-love affair, but wouldn’t admit it, without a sponsor.
“I’ve fallen in love with myself, and I just don’t notice anybody else out there anymore,” he said. Whew! That’s asking for it.
Sabbatini has been a lightning rod for public scorn since he strode ahead and played out the final hole at the Booz Allen Classic at Congressional, leaving behind a plodding Ben Crane. He had just come off the course at TPC Sawgrass on Thursday, tied for the lead in the renewal of the Tour’s own championship, eight strokes better than Tiger Woods, and feeling his oats. Say this for Sabbatini, since his unsporting display at Congressional, he has been more noticeable, though that was two years ago.
In a poll of Tour players taken by Sports Illustrated, 25 per cent of the players said the player they would most prefer not to be paired with was Sabbatini. “I don’t know 25 percent of the guys on Tour, and there are probably 25 percent I wouldn’t want to play with,” he said, rather testily.
Back up a week, to the stop in Charlotte, where Sabbatini had a round 8-under par last Saturday, took the lead and was paired with Tiger Woods in the final round. Woods won the tournament, Sabbatini was 10 shots worse than his Saturday round, and Tiger lost him in his dust. Now the news conference got interesting. Sabbatini was asked if a round with Woods didn’t, say, put a crease in his armor?
“No,” he said. “After watching him play Sunday, I think he’s more beatable than ever, and realizing that gives me even more confidence to want to play with him on Sunday again.”
Give Sabbatini credit for bravado, but the love affair with self began to unravel Friday afternoon. He parred the first five holes, then his game began developing hiccups. Bogey No. 6, bogey No. 7, bogey No. 8, and for some reason, this bold narcissistic fellow found himself trying to hang on. His score plummeted from 5 under to 2 under, and players like Peter Lonard, Nathan Green, Carl Petterson, Sean O’Hair all moved past him. Woods himself was not one to overlook the flying rumors of Sabbatini in the press conference.
“The new Woods,” as Sabbatini had referred to Tiger, eased under the cut line at 4-over par, not one of his better 36 holes of the season. Tiger landed a punch of his own. “I’ve won three times this year, as many as he [Sabbatini] has won in his lifetime,” he said. With a smile: “I like the ‘new Tiger.’ “
But the worst hadn’t come yet. On the 17th hole, the famed but infamous Island Hole — of which Woods is a spoken critic — Sabbatini’s first tee shot found water, then a second found water, and by the time he finished, he was charged with seven strokes. And beside his name on the scoreboard, his self-destruction was recorded. His score fell from minus-2 to plus-2, which shows the damage a quadruple bogey can do.
Just a lesson here, to those whose self-admiration might get out of hand: Don’t fire off recklessly into the air when you’re seriously outgunned.
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By golfman
May 11, 2007 9:37 PM | Link to this
He doesn’t deserve to even comment like someone that can play to the level of Woods game. Everyone has there day. Some more than often! Take pot shots at Zack Johnson, but not Tiger Woods. I know Sabbo, it would take more time than not for him to duplicate one year, much less than the career of golf’s best in his 30’s. Make your millions from his game and shut your stupid ignorant mouth!! Quite steeping on your small non different _ _ _ k!!
By Ricky Ngiau - Malaysia
May 12, 2007 12:07 AM | Link to this
Look where his big mouth got him? 2 drinks at the 17th that he thoroughly deserves. He should concentrate on his golf and try to win some more events first than shoot off his big mouth!!!! Great response by Tiger.
By wristshot
May 12, 2007 7:47 AM | Link to this
I thought the most unfortunate part was that we fans were forced to watch a record amount of Rory Sabbatini yesterday. The Golf Channel, who otherwise does a great job with the coverage, must have shown all 79 of his shots yesterday!
Banging his clubs, digging up extra divots after poor tee shots, throwing his ball in the water, glaring into nothingness like Napoleon with a hangover and chomping his gum like an Amsterdam hooker did nothing to endear him to the fans or his fellow competitors. Maybe the PGA can borrow Roger Goodell for the rest of the weekend…
By taco slammer
May 12, 2007 9:10 AM | Link to this
No matter how many tournaments Sabbatini wins in the future, his reputation has been stained by his mouth. He won’t have many fans in any gallery……he won’t have any. And I thought golf was a gentleman’s game.
By JJ
May 12, 2007 9:22 AM | Link to this
Its good to see that there is someone out there who doesn’t bow down to Tiger. Regardless of what he did on 17, Sabbatini is a world-class player, who while nowhere near the stratosphere that Tiger is on, deserves to be able to speak his mind whenever and whereever he wants to, and there is a great deal of truth to his latest comments. Fact is, Tiger is hitting the ball off the tee worse than he ever has right now, and he is vulnerable because of it. I know, he still wins every other tournament he plays in, but given his status as #1 in the world by almost 13 world ranking points, he should be winning at the average bland tour event, where they have no rough and enormous greens. As long as Tiger stays in his stubborn ways and continues to hit driver off the tee like he did at Augusta, he will not win another major this year (until possibly the PGA.) Oakmont and Carnoustie will chew him to pieces. If Tiger had left the driver in his courtesy car at Augusta he would have won by 5 shots.
By RG Adams
May 12, 2007 10:37 AM | Link to this
Come on, Furman. Rory’s “narcissistic” comments in the Rd 1 media interview were clearly a joke. People who don’t know Sabbatini miss his wry humor. The kid is good, and he wants to beat the best - what’s wrong with that? If he keeps knocking on the door as he has repeatedly been, it could happen.
By Ray
May 12, 2007 11:33 AM | Link to this
Thanks Furman, Ever since Napoleon whoops I mean Sabatini showed himself to be a jackass I have enjoyed watching his breakdowns more than I have enjoyed watching the leaders! Friday was the best yet.