[ CHAMPIONS SKINS GAME ]
Watson steals
storybook endingArnold Palmer nearly
pulls out a fairy-tale win
at the Skins Game
WAILEA, Maui >> If this had been a true made-for-TV script, the ending would have been rewritten.
Standing over a 7-foot birdie putt at the 18th hole, with five skins and $240,000 on the line, Arnold Palmer let indecision stand in the way of the largest payday of his career. He hit a tentative putt that began to slide to the right almost from the get-go.
The groan from the gallery of 4,000 people could be heard in Kihei as the four golfers participating in the Wendy's Champions Skins Game trudged back up the 18th for the first of three playoff holes.
Tom Watson's tap-in on the 17th proved to be the difference as Palmer and Jack Nicklaus were eliminated on the first playoff hole. Trevino, who battled a bad left hip all week, stayed around with a par on the 16th to halve the second playoff hole, but just couldn't keep up at the 17th. A 3-putt from 30 feet left the defending champion without a skin and Watson in a strange winner's circle.
The youngest of the legendary foursome at 54, Watson walked off with 10 skins and $400,000 to finish first in the two-day event played at the lush Wailea Golf Club Gold Course. Palmer placed second with five skins and $140,000. He won three of the four par 3s, but couldn't make the key putt when he needed it most. Nicklaus finished third with $60,000 and three skins. He didn't manage any during yesterday's final 12 holes.
"It wasn't a storybook ending," Watson said. "Arnold was the star of the two days. He was charging again. We're all part of his army again. It ended on a down note when Arnold missed that putt at 18. But you have to balance it out on the other 20 holes. And it was pretty darned good."
Despite making six birdies, Palmer was clearly dejected in the interview room. He waited patiently for a couple of beers that only came when he was done with his brief comments.
"If I wait any longer, I'm going to get old," Palmer said, then smiled at friends who accompanied him to the interview room.
"I played better than I have," Palmer said. "I missed some shots, but that last putt could have made my day."
The 74-year-old paused for a moment before repeating, almost to himself, "Could have made my day.
"I was a little indecisive there. I was undecided about what the putt was going to do. I hit it too tentatively and the putt hung to the right. I was trying to make it go straight into the hole. And it didn't."
All four returned to the 18th tee on the first playoff hole, but clearly the air was let out of the balloon. Palmer yanked his drive left and was eventually eliminated with a bogey. Nicklaus, Watson and Trevino had birdie putts. Nicklaus missed his from 12 feet, but Trevino sank his from 10 and stood to make $240,000 and five skins had Watson yipped his from 8.
In regulation, Watson had an 8-footer for birdie that he pushed to the right, setting up Palmer for some real heroics. But when Trevino sank his on the first playoff hole, Watson wasn't feeling as generous. He sank the putt to force the second playoff hole.
Although Trevino hung around long enough to survive at the par-3 16th, it was clear he didn't have much golf left in him at the 17th. After missing badly a birdie putt for a chance to win, he yanked his par putt as well. He shook Watson's hand and smiled, but it was clear he was in pain.
"I was hurting real bad today in the pro-am," Trevino said. "I was in real bad shape today. I was hitting everything with my hands. I was just slapping at it. I don't know when I'm going to play again. I have to get an MRI on my hip.
"I may have a fracture in my left hip. I just ran out of gas. On that last hole, I'd had enough. I couldn't make any more of it. I had a chance to win and that's crazy the way I played."
Palmer won the first skins of the day on the par-3 11th. His 6-iron at the 167-yard hole nestled in about 12 feet pin high. He made that putt to collect three skins worth $90,000 and appeared to be the one to beat. Watson came back to win two skins worth $70,000 at the par-5 530-yard 13th with an eagle putt from 10 feet. There were no other skins won in regulation.
"I felt like I was the outsider because I'm the young one," Watson said. "This was a great show for them. There was no lack of will to win from any of them. It was an honor to play with them. I looked up to Arnold when I was young, then Jack, who replaced him, then Lee, whose wit was always great for the game. I was the young one and in the end, that was probably the difference."