LOS ANGELES -- Rory Sabbatini made a 5-foot birdie on the 18th hole Saturday that allowed him to finish the day the same way he started -- with a four-shot lead in the Nissan Open and in total command of his game. With his position as the 54-hole leader, Sabbatini is this week's AstraZeneca Charity Challenge winner.

That was about the only thing that went according to plan.

A forecast for rain gave way to brilliant skies over Riviera, allowing for the best scoring of the week. And despite making the cut on the number, Tiger Woods was nowhere to be found. He withdrew with the flu, the first time in his pro career he has left in the middle of the tournament for health reasons.

The fans still had a local favorite they love to cheer.

Fred Couples, a two-time winner of the Nissan Open who dominated at Riviera in the '90s, overcame his massive head cold with a 31 on the back nine to shoot 65, leaving him in the last group with a chance to rekindle some of his past glory on the course off Sunset Boulevard.

"If I can play a really good round, I can catch Rory," Couples said. "If he plays well, we're all done."

Sabbatini shot a 67 and is at 14-under 199. Couples is tied with Craig Barlow, who shot 67.

Clearly, it all depends on Sabbatini, who might be the hottest player on the PGA TOUR with two second-place finishes this year and nothing worse than a tie for 20th. Right when a couple of players were closing in on his lead, he ran off three straight birdies, then padded his lead one extra stroke with an approach into 5 feet on the fabled 18th.

And he still isn't satisfied. Sabbatini feels he could be doing better with his ballstriking, and said he might consider changing to his old set of irons before the final round.

When was the last time he did that?

"I haven't had too many four-shot leads," Sabbatini said. "I felt like I left a lot of shots out there."

Barlow played in the final group five years ago at Riviera and trailed by three shots. He closed with a 73 and tied for 13th, three shots out of a playoff. Now he faces a four-shot deficit against a guy who appears to do nothing wrong.

"He's going to be the favorite tomorrow," Barlow said. "But a four-shot lead is never too much to make up."

Dean Wilson made the biggest charge with five birdies on his first 11 holes to get within two shots, but then he three-putted two holes in a row -- for double bogey and bogey -- and wound up with 69, seven shots behind.

Still, the roars belonged to Couples, one of the most popular figures in golf, especially at Riviera.

During a seven-year stretch in the '90s, Couples won twice and was runner-up three other times. This is his 25th consecutive year playing the Nissan Open, and he never could have guessed he would be in the final group Sunday.

Rory Sabbatini is looking to win for the third time on TOUR. (Grayson/ WireImage)

Couples was so sick that he stayed in bed Monday and Tuesday, and skipped the pro-am Wednesday. He managed to open with a 66, got caught in the rain during his round of 72 on Friday and then turned it on Saturday in chilly sunshine, running off four birdies in a five-hole stretch on the back nine.

"The first day was a fluke," Couples said. "Today, I was finally sharp and made a lot of putts. I've been playing here 25 years, so I have a feel for the course."

Woods never made it to the first tee. He was battling the flu all week, and after narrowly making the cut on Friday, decided to withdraw. More than 1,000 people around the 10th tee let out a collective groan when the starter announced that Woods was not playing, and they scattered across Riviera in search of someone to watch.

Most of them found Couples.

"I did get some of his strays," Couples said. "The way I play sometimes, I probably don't deserve two or three people out there."

Saturday was not one of those days, and Couples is starting to believe he's capable of another win.

Sabbatini, however, has not shown any reason for giving back the lead. He sputtered at the start, opening with six pars but reminding himself of a four-shot lead. Then came a 15-foot birdie on the seventh hole, and he took off at the turn with a chip to 3 feet on the 310-yard 10th, reaching the 11th green in two for a two-putt birdie, and a 5-iron into 12 feet on the 12th that allowed him to regain control.

Divots: Arron Oberholser, who won at Pebble Beach last week for his first PGA TOUR victory, withdrew after shooting a 75 on Saturday. He did not give a reason. ... Ernie Els shot 71 and remained even-par for the tournament. ... John Rollins was on the verge of missing the cut Friday until he saved par from a bunker and birdied the 17th hole for some breathing room. He shot 64 on Saturday and was in sixth place.

©The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.