Sabbatini withdraws from Memorial, says it's not suspension

Fort Worth's Rory Sabbatini had a crowd of reporters waiting for him after Friday's round. And he shot 82.


But missing the cut at the Nelson, where he won in 2009, didn't cause the Sabo stakeout. He withdrew from the Memorial Tournament, and that has been much speculation he's facing suspension.

Sabbatini had a profanity-filled argument with Sean O'Hair on the course in New Orleans a month ago. He also reportedly spoke harshly to a teenage volunteer at the Northern Trust Open in February while searching for his ball. But Sabbatini said he pulled out of the Memorial because he earned a spot in the U.S. Open for being in the top 10 in PGA Tour earnings after the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial last Sunday.

"Well, the only reason I was going to play is because I had to qualify for the Open,'' Sabbatini said. ``Now I don't have to. After the way I played today, I definitely know I need some time off.''

Sabbatini said his next two starts would be the U.S. Open in three weeks, and the British Open a month later.