Couples on the Money in Skins Game Again

Leave it to the king of the silly season to outshine the queen of golf at the Skins Game.

Fred Couples, the all-time leading money winner in Skins Game history, added to his total by winning seven skins worth $580,000 on the back nine Sunday at Trilogy Golf Club in La Quinta, passing front-nine leader Annika Sorenstam on the way to his fourth Skins Game victory.

Couples finished with a total of eight skins worth $605,000 after making a 20-foot birdie putt on the fourth hole of a playoff for the final $200,000. Sorenstam, the first woman to play in a Skins Game, led with $175,000 after the front nine Saturday and finished second after winning one skin Sunday worth $50,000.

Phil Mickelson missed several short putts that cost him skins during the back nine and missed a 10-foot putt that would have extended the playoff with Couples. He finished third with $170,000. Mark O’Meara did not win any skins, making him the fourth defending champion to get shut out.

Couples sealed the victory on the second playoff hole, the par-three 17th, when he made an eight-foot birdie putt. Sorenstam, the only player who could have caught Couples, missed a chip for birdie. Earlier on the 17th, Couples made a 55-foot birdie putt and won two skins worth $140,000 to take the lead.

“Sometimes you get embarrassed and you fail and sometimes you make a [55-foot] putt to win a couple of skins,” Couples said. “It’s a fishbowl and potluck. The best thing that I do is I don’t get flustered.”

Couples is the first player to win four Skins Games. He now has $2.875 million in career Skins earnings and his $605,000 ranks third on the single-tournament winnings list. Still, Sorenstam’s performance probably will be remembered as the highlight.

She capped a remarkable season with a respectable showing against a trio of top male players and provided the highlight of the tournament when she holed a 39-yard bunker shot Saturday to win four skins and $175,000 on the ninth hole. She followed that by making a 14-foot birdie putt on the 10th, the first hole played Sunday, and winning a skin worth $50,000.

“I’ve enjoyed it so much,” Sorenstam said of her Skins Game experience. “I’ve learned a lot from this week and I’m really glad I came. This really tops a wonderful year. It’s been fantastic all the way around.”

She said she would gladly accept an invitation to return, but is not expecting to receive one.

“I was just flattered to get an invitation to be here this year,” she said. “There’s a lot of people that deserve to be here. I’m just thankful to have the chance to experience this because it’s been wonderful.”

This was Couples’ first event in this year’s unofficial November to December competition -- dubbed the silly season -- where Couples has been known to do well. In 1999, he won more after the regular season than he did during it and since 2000, he has won at least $280,000 during the silly season.

He entered the 14th hole Sunday with only one skin and $25,000, but rolled in a 20-foot birdie putt there for four skins and $240,000. In the playoff, all four players missed short birdie putts on the par-five 18th hole. Couples and Mickelson made birdies on the second playoff hole, eliminating O’Meara and Sorenstam.

Couples and Mickelson returned to the 18th, where each made birdie and then went back to the 17th, where Couples made birdie on the hole for the third consecutive time. Of the 13 holes played Sunday, nine were par four or par five. Couples hit only two fairways, none in regulation.

“I certainly didn’t play better than Annika,” Couples said. “I just made a few more putts and hit a couple of lucky shots.”

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Last Day Is for Couples

Results from the Skins Game at Trilogy GC in La Quinta. Participants: Fred Couples, Phil Mickelson, Mark O’Meara and Annika Sorenstam:

*--* HOLE YRD. PAR PRIZE WINNER No. 1 446 4 $25K Couples, 10-foot birdie putt No. 2 135 3 -- Carryover No. 3 377 4 $50K Mickelson, two-foot birdie putt No. 4 417 4 -- Carryover No. 5 448 4 $50K Mickelson, 35-foot birdie putt No. 6 421 4 -- Carryover No. 7 535 5 -- Carryover No. 8 210 3 -- Carryover No. 9 530 5 $175K Sorenstam, 39-yard SW eagle OUT 3,519 36 $300K No. 10 405 4 $50K Sorenstam, 14-foot birdie putt No. 11 415 4 -- Carryover No. 12 535 5 -- Carryover No. 13 470 4 -- Carryover No. 14 415 4 $240K Couples, 20-foot birdie putt No. 15 165 3 $70K Mickelson, 10-foot birdie putt No. 16 430 4 -- Carryover No. 17 226 3 $140K Couples, 55-foot birdie putt No. 18 575 5 -- Carryover IN 3,636 36 $700K TOTAL 7,147 72 $1 million PLAYOFF HOLES No. 18 575 5 -- Carryover No. 17 226 3 -- Carryover No. 18 575 5 -- Carryover No. 17 226 3 $200K Couples, 20-foot birdie putt

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