$270,000 Putt Lifts Couples Past Pavin In Wild Skins Game

Fred Couples, missing putts and hitting last off the tee all day, finally ended the longest Skins Game and his personal string of second-place finishes.

Couples, the runner-up in three previous appearances, didn’t win a single hole in the 1995 Skins Game until rolling in a 10-foot birdie putt on the fifth playoff hole Sunday.

That putt gave him $270,000 - the richest hole in the 13-year history of the event - and the tournament title.

“The turnaround was worth the wait,” Couples said. “When bad things happen, you can’t get down on yourself. You know that in the Skins Game, a putt or two will win for you.”

Corey Pavin, who won $150,000 Saturday and $90,000 with a 12-foot birdie putt at No. 11 Sunday, lost his chance at a total payday of more than a half-million dollars when, on his third time at No. 18, he hit his approach shot at the par-5, 426-yard hole onto the fringe some 45 feet from the pin.

Couples’ sand wedge from 125 yards stopped within close birdie range and, after missing six reasonable birdie tries earlier in the day, he confidently knocked this one in.

“I knew it was over when I saw him standing over it,” Pavin said. “He looked very comfortable.”

Peter Jacobsen won one hole and $30,000 Saturday at Bighorn Golf Club, and Tom Watson, last year’s winner with $210,000, was shut out this time.

Couples sent the 1995 Skins into overtime with a dramatic 10-footer for birdie at the final regulation hole after Jacobsen had applied the pressure by sinking a 20-footer.

Pavin and Couples made short birdie putts at the first playoff hole, No. 18, to tie, eliminating Jacobsen and Watson. On the second playoff hole, Couples had an 8-foot birdie try at the par-3 No. 17, but his putt stayed to the right and he settled for another tie.

Couples, seemingly snakebit on the green, also had birdie chances of 20 feet at the third playoff hole, and 40 feet at the fourth just slip by the lip of the cup. Pavin, meanwhile, kept it going by making a 9-footer at the fourth extra hole to save par.

Couples’ birdie at the fifth extra hole ended a run of 11 holes without a winner, going back to Pavin’s birdie at No. 11.