Watson’s Real Numbers Are $100,000

LA QUINTA —  Tom Watson is so old that when they light the candles on his birthday cake, the fire department is put on tactical alert.

Watson has been around so long, he remembers when this place was so small, it was called Palm Springs.

We know Watson is old, because he keeps talking about it at the Skins Game. Why, to hear him talk, the 47-year-old Watson had so little chance against those three young, golf-ball compactors, he probably ought to put his clubs down and go count his freckles.

Then again, maybe not.

Talk was expensive Saturday at Rancho La Quinta, where Watson tore off his shawl, won four skins worth $100,000 and led Fred Couples, Tiger Woods and John Daly after the first nine holes.

Afterward, Watson said he felt all right about the whole thing.

“Those guys are on puppy chow and I’m on the mature dog diet, the oatmeal for dinner,” Watson said.

It was an old trick Watson played at the Skins Game, where all the pre-event hype was whether Woods or Daly would be the first to flatten a golf ball.

There were 9,500 spectators who lined the fairways and ringed the greens to find out. What they saw was pretty close to a tie.

For instance, on the first hole, Couples drove 300 yards. And he was away. Daly’s drive traveled 340 yards, Woods drove 318 yards and Watson drove it 310 yards.

On the four holes where the players used drivers, Daly had the longest drive on No. 1 and No. 5 and Woods was longer on No. 4 and No. 9.

“People got their money’s worth,” Watson said. “They saw some bombs out there. I can’t swing that hard at it any more [but] it’s fun to watch.”

When the cash had settled after the first day, Woods and Couples were tied for second with two skins and $40,000, while Daly was shut out.

“You don’t want to be at zero after nine holes, but it happens,” Daly said. “Tomorrow’s another day.”

Well, yes it is, and it’s going to be a worthwhile one for somebody, with $320,000 still available.

Woods said he has a simple philosophy.

“Basically, just go out there with your buddies and play for some cash,” he said.

Watson’s cash flow began on the first hole when his six-iron stopped 12 feet from the hole and he made the putt for a birdie worth $20,000.

Couples picked up $40,000 on the par-three No. 3 when he gently rolled in a one-footer. It was the only makable birdie putt he had all day.

Woods soon got even with Couples. He made a $40,000 tap-in birdie putt on the 586-yard No. 5. His drive cut the angle on the dog leg and left him 209 yards away, from where he hit a five-iron.

Both Daly and Couples missed their birdie chances.

“I’ll take it any way I can get it,” Woods said.

By the time they reached the par-three No. 8, it was a three-hole carryover worth $80,000, which Watson promptly claimed as soon as he knocked in a 12-footer for birdie.