Annika Sorenstam earned another US$50,000 on Sunday but finished second to Fred Couples, the grand master of the Skins Game who won his record fourth championship.
Couples won all but US$25,000 of his US$605,000 on the final day of the 18-hole, made-for-television event.
Sorenstam, the first woman to compete in the 21-year history of the game, earned US$225,000. Phil Mickelson was third with US$170,000. Mark O'Meara won nothing, one year after earning US$405,000 to take the title.
PHOTO: AFP
Couples birdied the 17th three times.
Four playoff holes were needed to award the US$200,000 "Super Skin," which initially was at stake on the par-5, 575-yard 18th. Couples clinched the title when he and Mickelson birdied the second playoff hole, the par-3 17th, and Sorenstam didn't.
But Couples and Mickelson needed two more playoff holes to end it. Couples' 20-footer for birdie, again on the 17th, added US$200,000 to his day. His first time on the 17th, Couples won a US$140,000 skin by sinking a 55-footer for birdie.
Couples, in his 10th Skins Game, ran his record career earnings in the event to US$2.875 million.
Sorenstam was the first-day leader with US$175,000, thanks to one of the most spectacular shots ever in the game -- a breathtaking, 39-yard eagle out of the bunker on the par-5 ninth hole.
She made it two skins in a row by knocking in a 15-foot birdie putt on the first hole Sunday, the par-4, 378-yard 10th.
Sorenstam was the obvious favorite of the big gallery at the Trilogy Golf Club, which opened in February.
"I'd love to do it again," Sorenstam said. "I'm just sad that it's over. I wanted to play some more."
All day, Sorenstam seemed to be in the middle of the fairway.
"We talked on the course about how impressed we were that every shot she seemed to hit was headed for the pin," Mickelson said.
He also was impressed with her distance off the tee.
"I was surprised at how far she hit the golf ball," Mickelson said. "I think if she were to attempt to play the men's tour full-time -- not that she would, but if she were going to -- I don't think distance would be a hindrance for her."
On the last hole of regulation, O'Meara matched Mickelson's birdie, and that sent all four back to the 18th tee again. This time, all four missed reasonable birdie putts, including a 6-footer by O'Meara and 4-footer by Mickelson.
So all four trudged to the par-3, 226-yard 17th. This time, Sorenstam and O'Meara were eliminated when Couples and Mickelson made birdies.
Both birdied the 18th -- the third playoff hole -- and Couples was ready to split the US$200,000.
"I'm gettin' tired," he exclaimed. "The Presidents Cup tied!"
But it was back to the 17th to finish it off.
Couples missed short birdie putts that would have given him skins on the 12th and 13th holes, then recovered with a longer putt for a US$240,000 skin -- the biggest of the event -- on the par-4, 412-yard 14th.
Mickelson got off to a horrible start, blasting his tee-shot into the bushes to the left of the fairway on the 10th, then knocking it over a construction out of play on the third.
He recovered with a 10-foot uphill putt for birdie and a US$70,000 skin on the par-3, 173-yard 15th hole.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
Playing soccer and competing for trophies is the best way that many transplanted Hong Kongers and Macanese have found to stay in touch, and to interact with Taiwanese society, said officials at the Taiwan-Hong Kong-Macau Football Friendship Cup, which was held on April 13. Twelve clubs, mostly of players and coaches originally from Hong Kong and Macau, took part in the tournament in New Taipei City. The event is sponsored by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) and the Taiwan-Hong Kong Economic and Cultural Co-operation Council. Participating teams were from the wider Taipei area, Hsinchu, Taichung, Kaohsiung and other areas. They divided into two