Instead of 36 holes of stroke play, they could play in a Skins Game. The winners of the four majors: This was the format of the old PGA Grand Slam of Golf, which the PGA of America has abandoned. The participation of Woods, McIlroy, Day and Matsuyama shows that you can still attract a great four-player field, much as the first few Skins Games with players like Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Tom Watson and Lee Trevino.īut maybe one way to bring the Skins Game back would be to modify the format, at least in terms of who played. The $1 million purse for the Skins Game in 2008 wouldn’t raise an eyebrow among players today, although the Japan Skins reportedly has a total purse of $350,000, so you know appearance money is involved.
In the current world of professional golf, it would be difficult at best. But the new event in Japan and the new logo the PGA Tour has created did get people thinking: is it possible that the Skins Game could return someday? It would be safe to say that something in the 4s would make IMG, the people who produce the Skins Game, happy again.So the old Skins Game, the one that was so popular when it was played in the desert, remains a part of history. Last year, ABC’s two-day ratings of 4.3 were 72% higher than the all-time low of 2.5 from 2000 - and the highest since a 4.9 in 1997 when Woods made his debut. More important numbers will be the Nielsen ratings that come out next week. The Skins Game is no longer all about money, with the possible exception of those who collect it, so it must be noted that Couples’ Skins Game total is now a record $2.15 million. When his putt went in, it was worth $50,000. His second shot on the 507-yard par-five was a five-iron from 192 yards out of the left rough and Couples stopped the ball just five feet from the hole. “I certainly didn’t think it would be me.” “I thought there would be an eagle out there,” he said. Woods had a chance, putting first, but his 25-footer brushed past the hole.Īnd because he was closest to the hole, Ford-endorser Mickelson won a Toyota Avalon, which he will donate to charity.Ĭouples, who endorses Cadillac, was shut out at that point and reflected on that at the ninth tee. Mickelson hit an eight-iron to four feet and made the putt to win the hole. Woods knocked a four-iron 10 feet from the hole, rolled in the putt for $50,000 and added a birdie at the par-five sixth hole for another $25,000.įrom there, the holes doubled in value to $50,000 and Mickelson collected two skins at the par-three eighth. Woods took his turn next on the par-three fifth. O’Meara started the cash flow at the par-three third, when he hit a seven-iron to two feet and made the putt for a birdie, a carry-over worth $75,000. “I don’t think anybody understood what was going on,” Woods said. The validation rule was a disaster and discarded for this year, basically because Woods didn’t like it.
The reason for that was the validation rule that meant a player who won a skin didn’t really win it unless he won the next hole or tied for the low score on the next hole. As far as the dough, it was a lot more interesting result than last year’s first day, when nobody won anything. With nine more holes to play today, the accounting shows that Mickelson won $100,000, Woods and Mark O’Meara won $75,000, and Couples won $50,000.Īll in all, you would have to say that the Skins Game got a facial and looked pretty good again.