Woods Turns Down Australian Open

World No.1 Tiger Woods has turned down an offer of more than �800,000 to play in the Australian Open later this month.

"Tiger has rewritten the appearance fee book - no tournament can actually afford him," said Tony Roosenberg, championship director of the two richest tournaments on this season's Australasian PGA Tour schedule - the Heineken Classic in Perth and the Andersen Consulting World Match Play in Melbourne.

"What I hope for is that Tiger becomes so rich that he begins to play at
Australia's great golf courses simply because they have worldwide stature,"
he said. "That's why I am hopeful Tiger will play at Royal Melbourne when the
Heineken Classic moves there (from Perth) after this year."

Nick Faldo, Mark O'Meara and Padraig Harrington head the international
challenge for the Australian Open from November 23-26 at Kingston Heath in
Melbourne along with local stars Greg Norman, Robert Allenby, Stuart Appleby
and Greg Chalmers.