GOLF ROUNDUP : Nicklaus’ Miss From 12 Feet Worth $100,000 to Trevino

Just as he did in the 1990 Senior U.S. Open, Lee Trevino called the shot that made him the big winner Saturday over the first nine holes of the Senior Skins Game.

Trevino had a 15-foot birdie putt in the cup and was watching Jack Nicklaus, hunched over a 12-footer to tie him, on the seventh hole at the Mauna Lani Resort at Kohala Coast, Hawaii.

“For the last three years, maybe four,” Trevino told Arnold Palmer at the side of the green, “every time I’ve made a birdie, he’s made a putt to tie me. He’s got to miss sooner or later. He can’t keep tying me forever.”

Nicklaus’ putt slipped by on the low side and, with carryovers from five previous holes, Trevino won six skins and $100,000.

“I got a gift from Jack and Chi Chi (Rodriguez) when they missed those birdie putts on the fifth hole,” Trevino said. “That let me hang in there, then I shook that one in on the seventh.”

Last year, Trevino correctly predicted that Nicklaus would miss a three-foot birdie putt that opened the door for Trevino to win the Senior U.S. Open.

On Saturday, Trevino got some help from Gary Player on the final hole of the day.

Trevino hit an eight-iron to 15 feet and made the birdie putt. Player needed a six-footer to tie him and force the carryover of the $25,000 prize, but he missed and Trevino boosted his first-day’s earning to $125,000 with a total of seven skins.

Nicklaus won one skin and $25,000. Palmer, the defending champion and the oldest player in the group at 61, made a 25-foot birdie putt on the first hole to win $15,000.

Rodriguez and Player were shut out.

“I took a putting lesson from Arnie,” joked Player, who could not get a putt in the hole.

Another $285,000 is at stake over the final nine holes today.

Nolan Henke birdied three of the final four holes for a five-under-par 66 and a four-stroke lead over Robert Wrenn after the third round of the Phoenix Open.

The 26-year-old Henke, whose lone victory in his three-year PGA career came at the B.C. Open last September, has a 16-under total of 197 heading into today’s final round of the $1-million tournament. The winner earns $180,000.

Wrenn, whose only victory in his seven-year career came at the 1987 Buick Open, moved into contention with a 67.

Curtis Strange, tied with Henke for the second-round lead, was at 11 under along with Bob Tway and Fred Funk.

Strange had a 71 despite a with a double-bogey on the 15th hole.