January 18, 2010 in Sports

Old guys win Skins Game

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Associated Press photo

Tom Watson, left, and Jack Nicklaus were the oldest pairing at the Champions Skins Game.
(Full-size photo)

KAANAPALI, Hawaii – Old guys still rule on Maui.

Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson held off defending champions Fuzzy Zoeller and Ben Crenshaw to win the Champions Skins Game on Sunday.

“Who played? I don’t remember,” said Nicklaus, who will be 70 on Thursday. “That’s part of being old, isn’t it? You don’t have to remember what happened 5 minutes ago.”

He won’t forget this one.

Nicklaus and the 60-year-old Watson birdied two holes to win three skins and $130,000 on the back nine. The Hall of Fame duo and the oldest team in the tournament finished with 10 skins and $350,000 for their second victory in the event in four years.

It was an early birthday present for Nicklaus and a little redemption for the team after being blanked last year. The victory means Nicklaus will be back next year.

“If Tom will put up with me, we’ll be back,” said Nicklaus, wearing a golden orchid lei.

On a balmy day, Zoeller-Crenshaw took five straight skins for $230,000 to finish second in the alternate-shot, made-for-TV event. They were trying to become the first team to repeat after winning a record $530,000 last year.

Fred Couples, making his Champions Tour debut, and Nick Price sank a 4-footer for birdie on the playoff hole with two skins and $150,000 on the line – including the 18th-hole, $100,000 “Superskin” – to finish third with $190,000.

Gary Player and Loren Roberts were shut out.

Couples, who turned 50 in October, was the biggest hitter by far. But he struggled finding his range and with his short game. He also missed a 7-foot putt on the big-money 18 that sent it to a playoff.

For the “King of Skins,” Couples felt more like a prince among kings.

“For me personally, I’m going to see Fuzzy, Crenshaw, Watson and Loren Roberts for a long, long time,” Couples said. “But I don’t know that I’ll ever, ever be in the same group with Jack Nicklaus or Gary Player.”

Nicklaus made his 20th appearance in the Champions Skins Game, which will be televised next month, and added to his record for skins (114) and money ($2.6 million).

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