Couples Becomes the King of Skins

LA QUINTA —  Fred Couples may have a loopy grin, a sweet swing and a soft touch, but it became very clear Sunday at the Skins Game that he also has something else--a great sense of timing.

There was Couples, sort of scratching around, trying not to step in a hole, not doing much of anything, then he coaxes a six-foot putt into the cup on No. 15 and faster than you can say remote control unit, he’s got $240,000 dumped on his lap.

Now, in Fred World, where the television set is never too far removed from the sofa, that sort of sum amounts to a very comfortable feeling indeed.

Say it, Fred.

“I didn’t embarrass myself,” he said.

Well, no you didn’t. Instead, you became the Skins King. Couples got that short putt to fall, right after the ball did a neat little pirouette around the inside of the hole, and the Skins Game belonged to him for the second year in a row.

Couples finished the two-day stroll through birdieland at Rancho La Quinta with nine skins and $280,000, which included the $40,000 he collected Saturday.

Add it all up and Couples had just become the first millionaire from Skins Game winnings. He stands now at $1.19 million in five appearances covering exactly 10 days, nine holes a day.

Yes, it’s nice work if you can get it.

That birdie on No. 15 was the first Couples made since the one on No. 3, where he won two skins. Since it was a seven-hole carryover, that thing was worth a lot of money.

Tom Watson said Couples knew what he was doing, even if he really didn’t. He just had exactly what it takes, Watson said.

“It’s timing,” Watson said. “It’s like everything else in life, timing is everything. Be there at the right time.”

Watson was there at the right time too. He was next with seven skins and $220,000 and ended the day in money-making fashion. Watson sank a five-foot birdie putt on the second extra hole that was worth $120,000--a three-skin carry-over from the 16th hole.

Tiger Woods was shut out Sunday, even though he had three birdies, which meant he had only the $40,000 he collected on Saturday.

Then there was poor John Daly, who played two days, won absolutely nothing, missed a five-footer on No. 18 that would have made him $120,000 and even cracked a chair when he sat down afterward to discuss his golf.

“It ain’t been my year,” Daly said.

Of course, we all know whose year it was. That would be Woods, the 20-year-old superstar-in-the-making, whose impact on this event was obvious. From the enthusiastic gallery to the increased media interest to the elevated television ratings, Woods was the reason.

He said he learned something from the experience.

“I need to putt better,” he said.

Maybe, but there were a whole lot of people who watched him practice.

Overnight television ratings from the major markets showed the Skins Game had an 8.2 rating and a 19.0 share for Saturday, compared to last year’s 4.4 rating and 6.0 share on the first day.

“There’s no question Tiger Woods’ emergence created this interest,” Watson said. “Then people wanted to see John Daly and Tiger and find out who hit it longer.

“Hey, they won $40,000 and Fred and I won $500,000. We were just spectators, Fred.”

Couples said he was glad it turned out the way it did.

“I feel a little bit, well, it’s a weird feeling to win it,” he said. “It’s like I won the Skins Game . . . I don’t know how to word this . . . it’s not the greatest feat in the world. But I felt like I played fair and I enjoyed the experience.”

For that kind of money, it’s nice to know it was an enjoyable experience.