NO TIGER NO PROBLEM WITH THE WORLD'S TOP PLAYER OPTING OUT OF THIS WEEK'S NISSAN OPEN, OTHER PLAYERS LOOK TO FILL THE VOID.

Byline: JILL PAINTER

Staff Writer

Riviera Country Club traditionally has been home to some of the game's greatest golfers.

The L.A. Open, which later changed its name to the Nissan Open, was a hot spot for Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson, Jack Nicklaus, Fred Couples and the like. Even though it took Nelson 12tries to win here and Nicklaus never did, the stars always made sure to make Los Angeles a mainstay on their schedule.

This week, the Nissan Open will host all the biggest stars not named Tiger Woods.

The Pacific Palisades tournament features eight of the top nineplayers in the world rankings, and 36 of the top 50. Throw in fan favorite John Daly and a surprise, last-minute addition by Phil Mickelson, who hasn't played here since 2001, and you have the makings of an exciting event.

Perhaps Nissan Open tournament director Tom Pulchinski should borrow the cap worn by Vijay Singh's caddie, Paul Tesori, on the final day of the 2000 Presidents Cup. It read: "Tiger Who?"

"It's an excellent field," said Pulchinski, the man charged with maintaining golf galleries in the Tiger-less tournament. "Anybody who's interested in seeing PGA Tour golf at its finest can do that.

"Phil Mickelson has a good following and since he hasn't been here for a number of years, he's going to be a very popular person to follow.

"At a tournament like this, you can get up close to the players. You can watch them at the driving range. A lot of people have seen them on TV but not seen them in person."

The world's top-ranked player won't be in attendance for just the second time in his professional career. Yet, even with Tiger's absence, there should be an abundance of good golf.

Usually, Tiger plays and Phil doesn't. This year the Nissan doesn't have No.1, but it has No.2 Furyk, No.3 Adam Scott, No.4 Ernie Els, No.5 Retief Goosen, No.6 Mickelson, No.7 Singh, No.8 Luke Donald and No.9 Padraig Harrington.

Tenth-ranked Henrik Stenson is the other top-tier no-show. It's not an even switch, but when the rest of the field is the best of the best, it might not be the worst thing that Woods is skipping the event for the first time since 2001.

Organizers find themselves having to justify a field without Woods. But with this star-studded event, it's not necessary.

"Look, everyone wants Tiger in there," Riviera general manager Michael Yamaki said. "I assume as players, they want him there too, because you want to go up against the best. He chose to do what he did, and we're happy to have the field we do. Like anything else, when the king's not there, all of a sudden it gives an opportunity for the next person to come up."

The next person could be one of the game's brightest young stars, such as rookies Jeff Quinney or Anthony Kim, a Studio City product who is the tour's youngest player at 21.

The only Tiger sighting will be in Riviera's pro shop, where a framed picture of him as a 16-year-old amateur, playing in his first event, hangs on the wall.

When asked if the picture would come down since Woods won't be playing, Yamaki said it would stay "until he wins the big one."

Once again this year, some other golfer will hold the trophy.

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CAPTION(S):

11 photos, 2 boxes

Photo:

(1) Tiger Woods won't play this week at the Nissan Open, but fan favorite John Daly will be here.

Associated Press

(2 -- color) no caption (Tiger Woods)

(3 -- color) 1. TIGER WOODS

(4 -- color) 2. JIM FURYK

(5 -- color) 3. ADAM SCOTT

(6 -- color) 4. ERNIE ELS

(7 -- color) 5. RETIEF GOOSEN

(8 -- color) 6. PHIL MICKELSON

(9 -- color) 7. VIJAY SINGH

(10 -- color) 8. LUKE DONALD

(11 -- color) 9. PADRAIG HARRINGTON

Photos by Getty Images

Box:

(1) NISSAN OPEN WHO'S OUT

(2) WHO'S IN