ASSOCIATED PRESS Prior to yesterday's haul of $340,000 at the Senior Skins, the most Jack Nicklaus ever won at a tournament was $150,000.

Golden Bear earns
biggest payday

WAILEA, Maui » The last few months Jack Nicklaus has hinted he's at retirement's door. Just don't expect him to kick it in.

Playing competitively for the first time since undergoing back surgery a couple of days before Thanksgiving, Nicklaus came here to The Wendy's Champions Skins Game with one thing in mind.

"Win one skin," the Golden Bear said.

The 65-year-old did a lot more than that. He pocketed 11 skins worth $340,000, the largest check of his career, to capture this made-for-TV event for the first time since 1991. Nicklaus also added to his all-time skins earnings. It now stands at $2.67 million.

"The largest tournament prize I ever won was $150,000," Nicklaus said. "That was at the Tradition in 1996. The most at a regular tournament was the $144,000 at the Masters. I knew I had the highest check I ever made, so why not make this higher? I have a chance to win $520,000 if I finish up the round.

"I couldn't hit another shot to save my life."

Playing partners Tom Watson and Craig Stadler benefited from Nicklaus' kindness late on the back nine. In his debut, Stadler finished second with five skins worth $180,000. Defending champion Watson had skins at Nos. 16 and 17 worth $80,000 and Arnold Palmer was shut out for the third time in four years.

Nicklaus avoided that dubious distinction with a birdie on the ninth. After Stadler appeared he would run the table -- he won the first four skins with three consecutive birdies -- things settled a bit as the famous foursome halved the next four holes.

Stadler already had $80,000 in his wallet as he stood over a 10-foot birdie putt at the eighth worth $100,000. Had he sunk it, things might have turned out a lot differently. But he didn't and Nicklaus made him pay for it on the ninth. He knocked in a birdie putt from 12 feet, then stood and watched Stadler lip one out from 8 to secure five skins worth $130,000.

"I didn't expect that," Nicklaus said minutes after knocking home the birdie. "It's kind of neat."

The first four holes of the back nine were halved even though Stadler managed birdies at Nos. 11-13. But the only one to birdie the par-4 14th was Nicklaus, giving him five skins worth $170,000. He hit a 6-iron approach on the 420-yard hole to within 6 feet and made it to close out Watson and Palmer.

Stadler still had a chance to tie Nicklaus over the final four holes, but Nicklaus took care of that possible outcome by birdieing the par-5 15th. That putt from 14 feet was the last positive on Nicklaus' scorecard. Watson birdied the 16th and 17th to earn his two skins. Stadler won the $100,000 18th with a birdie putt from 25 feet.

But the star of the day was Nicklaus.

"Nothing surprises me about Jack," Watson said. "Yesterday (during Friday's pro-am) he was hitting the ball terribly. He was in bad position. Today, he's in better position. He's been making putts like the one at 14 throughout his career. But that was the killer. Up until that time, everyone was still in the game.

"Craig said he missed that putt at the eighth and it was a pretty critical one for him. I pulled my putt at the 14th a little bit. It would have been nice if I had made the putts I had to on the back side, but I didn't birdie the right hole. And that's what it comes down to in this game."

Stadler agreed with Watson's assessment. He ended up shooting the best round in the group, but those two misses at Nos. 8 and 9 set the tone for the 18-hole event.

"It was a typical skins game," Stadler said. "If you play well early, you don't seem to end up on top for some reason. I played well today, I had a good time, made a lot of putts, missed a very makable putt at a very bad time at eight. I hit it a little too hard on nine, let Jack sneak in there. Still, it was very enjoyable. A lot of fun.

"I played a lot of good holes early. And when I took a hole off, somebody snuck in there and got a bunch. I played well today. I made six, seven, eight birdies. But all the money is late in these things at an opportune moment. Jack played well when he needed to."

You won't get any argument from Nicklaus. The past year in his career wasn't a pleasant one. Prior to this appearance, his final competitive round of golf was last June at the Memorial. He had surgery to repair some damage in his back in November, then tweaked his hamstring a couple of weeks ago, leaving him wondering if he could compete here.

Nicklaus spent part of the time riding in a golf cart so he would have the strength to finish. His future plans depend on how strong his legs come back for him, but he sounded confident there's still some golf in his future. It's possible he'll even compete in the Masters and the British Open.

"But why are we talking about that?" Nicklaus asked. "Let's talk about this win because it was totally unexpected for me."

Stadler felt being the youngster of the foursome was a burden for him.

"All the pressure is on the young guys here," Stadler said. "You come in at 51, you got all the so-called pressure of being the media favorite. Then the 60-year-old comes along and steals all your cash."

"Where was the 60-year-old?" Nicklaus asked.

"I meant 60-plus, I was being nice to you," Stadler said. "The old man played good today."

Which means Nicklaus will be back here next February to defend his title.

"I did what I tried to do and that's win," Nicklaus said. "And that's encouraging."