Jack Nicklaus simply couldn't help himself with a birdie putt on
the 18th hole.
Given an opportunity to win the Senior Skins Game by missing a
4-foot putt on the final hole of regulation today, Nicklaus holed
the putt to send the competition to an extra hole.
"I'm in a dilemma here,'' Nicklaus said before putting. "If I
miss it, I win; If I make it, I have a chance to lose. But I never
miss on purpose. I'll go for it, I promise.''
After he made it, he joked, "I want to stab myself.''
Hale Irwin, given a reprieve by Nicklaus, made a 3-foot birdie
putt in the playoff to win the competition.
The three skins gave Irwin a total of seven, including the last
six, and $320,000. Nicklaus could have won by missing, but he matched
Gary Player's birdie to extend the event.
"There was never any doubt in my mind,'' Irwin said. "Those guys
never, ever, under any circumstances, give in. They will never sacrifice
the integrity of the game.''
Nicklaus finished second with $260,000 with Arnold Palmer adding
$20,000. Player, the 2000 winner, failed to pick up a skin.
"I had no problem with Gary or Arnold winning that skin (on the
18th),'' Nicklaus said. "It would have been smart to miss that putt,
but I'm not made that way. I've never missed one on purpose.
"I was very disappointed in the final outcome, but it was my own
doing.''
Player said he knew what Nicklaus would do.
"I would have loved it if Jack missed that putt on 18,'' Player
said. "It was a very interesting situation. But I know Jack too
well.''
The final three skins were worth $180,000. Had Nicklaus missed
the putt, Irwin would have finished with $140,000 and Player would
have banked the remaining $180,000.
With three skins left in the pot, the four players returned to
the 18th for the playoff.
There, Irwin hit his approach out of a sand divot within 3 feet
and knocked it in for his second career Skins victory.
Nicklaus barely missed his 8-foot attempt for a birdie.
It was an uphill climb for Irwin until the big money closing holes.
He got back into contention by sweeping the last six skins, which
were worth $300,000.
Irwin got a 4-footer at the 15th to earn $120,000 and set the
stage for the playoff victory.
Between them, this year's Skins participants had won 239 tournaments,
including 40 major championships, and nearly $37 million.
Each participant donated 20 percent of their winnings to charities
with Irwin adding his portion of the purse to the St. Louis Children's
Hospital.
Tiger
Woods will return to Phoenix after skipping the 2000 event.
Allsport.
