WEST HAWAII TODAY
Jack Nicklaus teed off on the fourth hole during the final round of the MasterCard Championship at Hualalai Golf Club in Kaupulehu-Kona, Hawaii on Sunday. Nicklaus is on Maui for the Champions Skins Game.
Four of golf’s legends
return to Maui for the
Champions Skins Game
WAILEA, Maui >> The Michelle Wie tour pays a visit to the senior circuit at this weekend's Wendy's Champions Skins Game. And while four of the world's greatest players teed it up this afternoon in this made-for-TV event, Wie teaming with Jack Nicklaus tomorrow morning in the pro-am portion of the two-day format may steal the show.
Joining Nicklaus this afternoon are Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino and Tom Watson. They will play nine holes this morning with one set of pro-am partners, then go at it in the afternoon for nine more holes in this $600,000 event won last year by Trevino.
This portion of the 18-hole event will be shown tomorrow, with tomorrow's final holes set for broadcast on Super Bowl Sunday. Wie and Nicklaus, who have met before, will play together for the first time in tomorrow morning's pro-am portion with Wailea Golf Club owner Caleb Chan. He is a family friend of the Wies. Nicklaus said yesterday he was looking forward to playing with the 14-year-old sensation.
"She's going to be a very special player," Nicklaus said of the Punahou School ninth-grader.
Nicklaus proved at last week's MasterCard Championship on the Big Island that, at age 64, he's still pretty special himself. Battling hip and back problems the past few years, the Golden Bear is a little vague about how much professional golf awaits him in 2004. Still competitive after all these years, Nicklaus said he would go fishing if he didn't think he could win.
"If I can play well and be competitive, then it's a lot of fun," Nicklaus said. "But for me to go out and finish 20th, I'd just go fishing."
Fortunately for golf fans around the world, Nicklaus appears to be in rare form. Palmer and Trevino can still swing the sticks as well, with Watson demonstrating last year he's probably the strongest of the bunch. He finished either first or second in half of the Champions Tour events in which he competed in 2003.
Does he have an edge?
"Only because I'm the youngest man in the competition," the 54-year-old Watson said. "I beat them all in lack of aches and pains."
Palmer enters his 50th year as a professional golfer. The 74-year-old said he still enjoys this format, although he has failed to win a skin in each of the past two events.
"It is still an event that I feel I can compete in with the good players on the Champions Tour," Palmer said. "It's always been fun."
Even more fun when you win, just ask Trevino. He will be looking for his second consecutive title. Palmer won it in 1990, 1992 and 1993, and will be making his 16th appearance in 17 senior skins events. Nicklaus won it with a dramatic playoff putt in 1991. This is Watson's first appearance.
Last year, Trevino holed a 10-foot birdie putt on the third extra hole to finish with six skins and $240,000. It kept Hale Irwin from claiming his fourth consecutive title and cleared the way for Watson to join the group. These four golfers said they've never competed together in this type of format.
"It meant a lot to me last year because it was the only tournament I won," Trevino said. "It was great TV exposure."
Palmer is credited with making golf what it is today with his famous army of fans and bold play. He was the king of golf until Nicklaus came along to challenge him in the early 1960s. Despite the competitive nature the two have whenever they face each other, they also have a lot of respect for what each brought to the game.
Over the years, this foursome has won 258 events on the PGA and Champions tours. They have 39 majors and $51 million in career earnings among them, with Watson leading the way of late. He was named the Champions Tour's top player in 2003.
After Nicklaus ascended the throne in the 1960s and '70s, Watson came along to rival the Golden Bear with some spectacular play of his own. He's just happy to be the fourth Hall of Famer of the group.
"When you look at what that threesome has done through the years," Watson began, "the history they've provided, well, it's an honor just to be out here playing with them. We'll be trying hard to beat each other this weekend, but we'll be loving every minute of it."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
