Skins Game Returns to Thanksgiving Weekend
Posted November 23rd, 2004 by Erik J. Barzeski
Fred Couples, Tiger Woods, Adam Scott, and Annika Sorenstam tee it up this year in Palm Beach for this year's Skins Game.
Defending champ Fred Couples will make a record-setting 11th appearance in the 22nd Skins Game this year. Sponsored by Merrill Lynch, Freddie will compete against Tiger Woods (5th), Adam Scott (1st), and Annika Sorenstam (2nd).
The first nine holes will be played this Saturday at 1pm ET and the holes will be played Sunday at 11:30am ET. ABC will broadcast the event from 4:30-7pm ET on Saturday and 3:30-6pm on Sunday. The $1 million purse is split into $25,000 for holes 1-6, $50,000 for holes 7-12, and $70,000 for holes 13-17. The 18th hole is worth $200,000 itself. Players will donate 20% of their earnings to charity.
The first two Skins Games were held at Desert Highlands in AZ before spending one year at Bear Creek Golf Club in CA. PGA West hosted the tournament from 1986-91 and Bighorn Golf Club set the scene from 1992-95. Rancho La Quinta Country Club played host from 1996-98 before moving to Landmark Golf Club from 1999-2002. 2004 marks the second year the event will be staged at the Trilogy Golf Club at La Quinta. The Trilogy is a 7,113-yard par-72 course that opened in 2003.
Fred Couples outlasted Annika Sorenstam, Phil Mickelson, and Mark O'Meara to win his record fourth title last year. Here's to hoping that next year's tournament morphs into a shirts vs. skins game with Natalie Gulbis and Laura Diaz on the skins team.
Year Winner Winnings Par/Yards 1983 Gary Player $170,000 72/7100 1984 Jack Nicklaus $240,000 72/7100 1985 Fuzzy Zoeller $255,000 72/7024 1986 Fuzzy Zoeller $370,000 72/7271 1987 Lee Trevino $310,000 72/7271 1988 Ray FLoyd $290,000 72/7271 1989 Curtis Strange $265,000 72/7271 1990 Curtis Strange $225,000 72/7271 1991 Payne Stewart $260,000 72/7271 1992 Payne Stewart $220,000 72/6848 1993 Payne Stewart $280,000 72/6848 1994 Tom Watson $210,000 72/6848 1995 Fred Couples $270,000 72/6848 1996 Fred Couples $280,000 72/7087 1997 Tom Lehman $300,000 72/6983 1998 Mark O'Meara $430,000 72/6983 1999 Fred Couples $635,000 72/6983 2000 Colin Montgomerie $415,000 72/6983 2001 Greg Norman $1 million 72/7068 2002 Mark O'Meara $405,000 72/7068 2003 Fred Couples $605,000 72/7068
Feedback
We'd love to hear from you! Comment below or join the forum.
Expressed opinions are not necessarily the opinions shared by others on The Sand Trap or The Sand Trap itself.
Posted 27 Nov 2004 at 10:28pm #
Newcomer Adam Scott won two quick skins to kick things off in the Skins Game, but neither he, Sorenstam, Tiger Woods nor Fred Couples could break through in the other seven holes. With all those Saturday skins still alive, a rich Sunday is on tap.