Woods misses cut at Funai Classic

Tiger Woods [Images] failed on Saturday to make the cut in a U.S. PGA Tour event for just the fourth time as a professional but the second time this season.

The world number one returned a one-over 73 to miss out by three shots at the weather-delayed Funai Classic in Orlando, Florida [Images].

Woods, the winner of six events this season, returned to the Magnolia Golf Club early Saturday needing birdies on the final two holes of his rain-hit second round.

Having sent his tee shot on the 17th into thick rough beside some trees when the siren sounded to halt play Friday, Woods was unable to work himself out of trouble, battling to a bogey five on the tricky par-four.

Woods then parred the 18th to leave him three-under 141 for the tournament, sealing his fate with the cut set at six-under.

"My driving wasn't very good," said Woods. "The only thing I did well was I putted well. I just could not get it right.

"I had to put the ball on the green (17) and try to make a putt. I had a shot. I had to draw it a little bit and it didn't draw at all."

The British Open and U.S. Masters champion's record string of 142 consecutive cuts made came to crashing end in May at the Byron Nelson.

The only other times he has missed the cut was at the 1998 Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the 1997 Canadian Open.

Playing at the Magnolia, the tougher of the two courses used for the $4.4 million event, Woods began smartly Friday with two birdies on his first four holes but was undone by a triple bogey seven at the par-four fifth.

A two-time winner of the event, the 29-year-old American clawed his way back out of the danger zone with three consecutive birdies from the ninth but dropped back again with a double bogey at the par-three 12th and a bogey at 14.

Woods had some unexpected company at the exit, joined by world number two Vijay Singh [Images] who also missed the weekend after returning a one-under 71 at the Palm Golf Club for a two round total of four-under 140.

The Fijian, a winner at Disney World in 2003 and runner-up last year, was also hit by a triple-bogey seven, the wobble on the par-four six the only blemish on a round that also included four birdies.

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