Vijay Singh headed for the airport, not the practice range.
Golf's hottest player saw his streak of consecutive top 10s come to an abrupt end at 12 tournaments Friday when he missed the cut at the Buick Invitational. The closest he'll get to Tiger Woods this weekend is in front of the TV.
PHOTO: EPA
Even more surprising?
John Daly is in contention, taming the tough South course at Torrey Pines to finish only two shots out of the lead.
Lost in a wild day along the Pacific Ocean was Stewart Cink, who took only 22 putts on the easier North course and walked away with a 9-under 63 to take a two-shot lead over Daly and Steve Flesch.
Woods, meanwhile, flirted with the cut line briefly before making five birdies on his final 11 holes that gave him a 68, six shots behind Flesch with two rounds to go on the course he has dominated in recent years.
Still, most of the focus was on Singh.
The 40-year-old Fijian had not missed a cut in 11 months and had not finished out of top 10 in six months, an amazing streak that was approaching Jack Nicklaus' modern-day record of 14 straight top 10s and allowed Singh to close the gap on Woods' No. 1 ranking.
It will be tough to make up ground from his home in Florida.
Singh missed three birdie putts from 3.5m on the final holes, shot 73 and missed the cut by one shot.
"I just made too many mistakes," Singh said. "I'll probably start a streak next week."
Phil Mickelson nearly joined him. A three-time winner at the Buick Invitational, Lefty had to birdie the last two holes for a 69 to make the cut on the number at 1 under par.
"I should be able to turn things around," Mickelson said.
History is on his side.
Woods narrowly made the cut in 1999 at Torrey Pines, shot 62-65 on the weekend and won by two. Mickelson is capable of a similar charge, so it should make for an interesting weekend.
Daly only adds to the excitement.
The guy known as "Wild Thing" was anything but that on the South course, site of the 2008 US Open, with a bogey-free 66, the best score on that track all week.
Daly left Torrey Pines without comment, but he's sure to keep the crowd buzzing on the weekend.
``He makes the game exciting,'' said Flesch, who played with him and shot a 68.
Cink was at 11-under 133, his first 36-hole lead since the MCI Heritage last year.
Cink didn't draw much of a gallery -- certainly not the crowd following Woods, Mickelson and Daly -- but his golf was worth watching on a cool day along the cliffside course.
He kept hitting it within 12 feet, sometimes closer, until the par-5 18th. His chip from behind the green rolled down a ridge and almost off the green, resting against the fringe. He poured that one in for birdie, then covered his face with a cap, knowing he'd gotten away with one.
"That was the hardest putt I faced all day -- a two-putt, much less to knock it in," Cink said. "I stole one there. There's guys out here that steal things like that all the time, so I'm not going to be embarrassed about that."
Kevin Stadler, the 24-year-old son of former Masters champion Craig Stadler, had a 74 and was five shots behind.
Daly kept the ball in play and showing his soft feel around the greens to keep bogey out of the picture.
"He's just a regular guy," Flesch said. "He's got a heck of a lot of talent, and he's had some problems. I think the better he plays, the better he feels. And the better the tour is going to be with him out here."
Daly has made plenty of news off the course.
Along with two trips to alcohol rehab, he felt his life was turning the corner when his son was born in July. A few days later, his wife and her parents were indicted on drug and illegal gambling charges.
Later in the year in Pennsylvania, Daly had to withdraw from the 84 Lumber Classic when he started hyperventilating in the 15th fairway. He was treated for dehydration.
Cink ditched the traditional sports psychologist a few years ago and worked on his overall state of mind, particularly the pressure he was putting on himself to do better. Cink considers himself an underachiever, and now tries to keep the stress and pressure to a minimum.
But there is plenty to get his attention on the weekend.
Nearly three dozen players were within six shots of the lead, which is not much of a gap considering how much the South course can penalize errant shots of the tee.
"It's definitely reachable to win the tournament from there," Woods said of his position, only 20 guys ahead of him. "I don't have too many guys to pass. It's not too bad going over to the hardest golf course."
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