Another big
By Paul Arnett
Skins payoff for Floyd
Star-BulletinKOHALA COAST, Hawaii -- Anybody who wins a golf event five consecutive times ought to be the center of attention. People should be patting you on the back the minute you step away from the green; offering a drink for one hand and a pen for the other to sign that all-important autograph.
Granted, Raymond Floyd received polite applause for breaking his own consecutive-win mark at the 11th annual Senior Skins Game yesterday at Mauna Lani Resort, but it was Arnold Palmer people came to see and believe in.
Last year, Palmer skipped the tournament for the first time after learning days earlier that he had prostate cancer. He was sorely missed.
That was evident by the rousing round of applause Palmer acknowledged with a simple wave of his hand at the first tee on Saturday, signaling his return to the $540,000 made-for-TV event.
From the beginning, the crowd hung on every Palmer putt that tugged at the lip. His legion of followers cheered every drive and looked after every approach. But it wasn't enough to hold off the machine-like precision of Floyd.
Palmer managed five birdies and several close calls, but only one skin. The 12-footer for birdie occurred on the 11th hole and was worth $30,000. By contrast, Floyd finished with only one more birdie, but 10 more skins worth $300,000.
Floyd put the final touches on the first playoff hole worth $80,000. After Palmer watched a tricky side-hill putt slide past the hole, Floyd stepped up and sent a 12-footer for birdie straight and true into the heart of the cup.
As Floyd walked in behind it -- his right hand raised high in the air with the impending triumph -- someone yelled out, "It's the Terminator." An apt description, considering what Floyd has done since playing in his first Senior Skins Game in 1993.
That year, Floyd finished third to Palmer, but has won every time since. He has the most skins with 53 and is the leader in combined earnings in the Skins/Senior Skins Game with a staggering $1.82 million.
"It's been pretty incredible for me," Floyd said after holding off Hale Irwin for a second consecutive year. "In this company, I've been fortunate to win this thing five times.
"It doesn't matter how you play. Arnold and I made about the same number of birdies, but he won only one skin and I won the Skins Game. There's a lot of luck involved."
Most of it was bad for Irwin, who finished runner-up to Floyd for the second time in two Senior Skins' appearances. He had six skins worth $210,000, but watched a possible victory slip away on a missed 5-footer for birdie on No. 17 worth $40,000.
"That really pisses me off," Irwin said to his caddy on the way to the 18th. He then slapped his leg in disgust. But if he thought that was bad, he hadn't seen anything yet.
His blast from the front bunker on the 18th hole made a beeline for the cup. Irwin was all ready to yell out, "The eagle has landed," only to watch it spin out like a missed 3-pointer at the buzzer.
Irwin fell back into the bunker in disbelief. He made the short birdie putt, but Floyd sunk one, too, to set up the first playoff hole.
Once again, Irwin appeared ready to pocket the money, only to watch a 20-foot birdie putt flirt with the cup, but not fall for it, setting up Floyd's winner. It marked the second time Irwin lost to Floyd in a Senior Skins playoff.
"From where I was in the bunker on 18, I felt if I got it in there and got a four, we would go on to the next hole," Irwin said.
"When it got to the hole, I thought it was dead center. I don't know how it stayed out. I'm just glad to contribute to the ongoing cause of the Raymond Floyd fund."
Floyd built on his lead in the Senior Skins Game career money race with $1.47 million. Palmer is second with $965,000. He was just glad to be back to the event he helped start in 1988. That year, he also finished third with $20,000. Chi Chi Rodriguez was first, Gary Player was second and Sam Snead placed last.
"The good news is I made a skin and I was in position to do a little better," Palmer said. "The best news is I was here. And after missing last year, I can't ask for much more than that."
At Kohala Coast, Hawaii Senior Skins
Final results, par 72
Saturday
No. 1, 390-yard, par-4: Halved.
No. 2, 218-yard, par-3: Halved.
No. 3, 601-yard, par-5: Halved.
No. 4, 395-yard, par-4: Halved.
No. 5, 403-yard, par-4: Floyd birdie (5 skins, $100,000).
No. 6, 221-yard, par-3: Halved.
No. 7, 398-yard, par-4: Irwin birdie (2 skins, $50,000).
No. 8, 390-yard, par-4: Halved.
No. 9, 572-yard, par-5: Halved.
No. 10, 535-yard, par-5: Floyd birdie (3 skins, $90,000).
No. 11, 408-yard, par-4: Palmer birdie (1 skin, $30,000).
No. 12, 202-yard, par-3: Floyd birdie (1 skin, $30,000).
No. 13, 387-yard, par-4: Irwin birdie (1 skin, $40,000).
No. 14, 413-yard, par-4: Halved.
No. 15, 202-yard, par-3: Halved.
No. 16, 368-yard, par-4: Irwin birdie (3 skins, $120,000).
No. 17, 411-yard, par-4: Halved.
No. 18, 515-yard, par-5: Halved.
Extra Hole, No. 10: Floyd birdie (2 skins, $80,000).
Skins Money Raymond Floyd 11 $300,000 Hale Irwin 6 $210,000 Arnold Palmer 1 $30,000 Jack Nicklaus 0 0
