Featured Golf News
Choi Wins Skins Game
K.J. Choi sank an 11-foot birdie putt worth $270,000 on the final hole to win the 26th Skins Game with $415,000.
After Rocco Mediate missed a longer birdie attempt on the 18th hole on the Celebrity Course at Indian Wells Golf Resort in southern California, Choi looked on as both Phil Mickelson and Stephen Ames also missed, thus sparing the South Korean from a playoff.
Choi's putt gave him $340,000 for Sunday's final nine holes and made him the fifth international player to win the title. "I'm very proud to have won the Skins Game, the first time ever for a Korean player," said Choi, who watched the Skins Game and the Masters while growing up in South Korea. "I'm very, very happy today."
Looking for his third straight title, Ames won $250,000 on the first hole of the day with a birdie to finish second. Mickelson was third with $195,000, and the talkative Mediate, who drew the day's biggest cheers, finished with $140,000. It was only the seventh time in the history of the event that all four players earned money.
Afterward, the participants met with reporters to discuss the day's proceedings.
MODERATOR: As we did yesterday, if we could just go around again and get some thoughts, then we'll take some questions.
PHIL MICKELSON: Well, somebody finally dethroned Stephen Ames. I thought it was a good day for everybody. Everybody was able to capture Skins today. It was a fun four days. We all would have liked to have gotten those last few Skins. I didn't make the putts. I thought that Stephen and I had a chance to tie Rocco and carry over some Skins, and I had some putts for halves and just didn't make them. Stephen and I had a chance on the last hole to tie K.J. and didn't get it done.
STEPHEN AMES: It's all about timing. We didn't make the putts to carry things over, and K.J. made a good putt on 18. That's the nature of the game. For me, it's been a great three years, and I have no complaints about being here this time of year in Palm Springs when I know it's 10-below at home right now. I'm very happy to be here.
ROCCO MEDIATE: It was great; I loved it. It was everything I thought it would be. We had a good time playing out there. It was just fun, pretty cool stuff, a lot of fun.
Q: Stephen, you started the day winning the 10th hole and six Skins. After doing that, how did that change your approach?
AMES: No, not really, just started hitting it a little bit more on the middle of the clubface, as Phil pointed out all day (laughter). I hit some better golf shots.
Q: What was the second shot in there?
AMES: 6-iron, 173 yards out of the rough, so it ended up being a good shot. Actually, that was my visual when I stood over the shot. I remembered seeing Freddy (Couples) do exactly the same thing last year. I saw that picture, and I did the exact same thing, so I guess that good vibrations thing worked.
Q: Rocco, some of the guys who've played through the years here have said that there really is pressure to finally get that first Skin. How great was it to make a birdie that meant something?
MEDIATE: It took forever. I just wanted to get the charity something. It was driving me nuts. We all made a bunch of birdies. It's just, I made one that actually helped. That's all it was. It's a really cool feeling; I love it. It was good. I thought it was going to be a putt to tie again.
Q: Phil, I know we're a year away, but obviously, you had a great time. Would you consider back next year if you get invited?
MICKELSON: I would. It's been a fun week, fun two days for me. It's been easy for me to just drive over, and the weather's been great. We had about a dozen or so, 15 of us, family and friends come over. It was a great evening last night; we had a nice dinner. I certainly would consider it, absolutely.
Q: Having played in this, you two, it's your third time, and Rocco, it's your first. It's got so much tradition; there's so much history here. Being a part of this, what does it mean to all of you guys?
ROCCO: I couldn't believe that I was the fourth person here. It's just cool. Like you said, 26 years, it's a lot of years. To be a part of it is just really cool. There's a little thing they gave us that said, "Thanks for participating in the 2008 LG SKINS GAME." Cool.
MICKELSON: I've loved playing in my third one this year; it's been fun, but I think Stephen's the one that is going more down in the record books having won two in a row. I think that's got to feel pretty good.
AMES: You remember looking at it on television and seeing the past players who have played in it and the shots and stuff and the putts: Nicklaus' putt to win $240,000. Kids when they're growing up - if this continues that long - they'll look back and say, "I remember Stephen hitting that great shot there, and Rocco hitting that solid one on 16 to a foot and a half." So it's nice to be part of that tradition.
Q: Now that you're intimately acquainted with the wash down there, could you tell us what you hit in on 13?
MICKELSON: Well, there was no wash on 13, which was nice. It actually worked out well because the pin was in kind of a bowl there, and it was so severely pitched in back. I don't think it was noticeable because guys were hitting full shots, and the spin just brought the balls off to the front. So I just took a little extra club, brought one in low without much spin, and it funneled right down by the hole, and I had a tap-in. But after the first two putts, K.J. and Rocco's balls came up a little bit low. Stephen had his putt right on line with really good speed, and…
AMES: I wanted to make that one real bad (laughter).
MICKELSON: Yeah, it's probably best you didn't, Stephen. It's interesting how the mindset is different here in a skins game than it is in a regular tournament. In a regular tournament, you really don't watch other guys play too much. You don't pull for or against anybody. You just kind of play your own game, and you feel like, over 18 holes, it'll kind of play out. But here, you're watching what everybody's doing. I gotta tell you; I wasn't exactly pulling for that thing to go in.
Q: It was fairly obvious that you guys were having a lot of fun out here, and it was sincere. Talk about that.
MEDIATE: It was mostly staged, wasn't it (laughter)? No, how can you not have fun doing that? First of all, we're playing for a lot of money, a lot of money for charity, with three other good guys; it's just a blast. It's just the coolest thing ever. Two days in November… but it's just great. You have to enjoy it. You're trying your butt off; don't get me wrong, but it's still a lot of fun; you're still having a blast.
MICKELSON: We have one of the best personalities in the sport right here, one of the individuals that fans identify with and enjoy watching and also one of the guys that is very well liked by the other players; he's very entertaining. Stephen's got a great sense of humor, and we were roughing each other a little bit out there, and I thought that it made for a very enjoyable day. And K.J., who's usually very quiet and serious throughout his rounds, opened up and was laughing and making some jokes. I thought it was funny.
Q: I talked to Stephen yesterday about golf course design, something he and a lot of players are getting into. Phil, I know you have a couple on the go in North Carolina and maybe even down in Baja? Rocco, is that something you've thought about?
MEDIATE: Someday, I'd love to. I don't know enough about it now, but I'd love to someday. I think it'd be really cool. I think it'd be a lot of fun.
MICKELSON: Well, a lot of those projects are just at a standstill right now with the economy and the inability to get the resources to create these developments and golf courses. A lot of things are on hold right now, but it is something I enjoy doing, and I'm looking at some projects elsewhere, but for right now, my main focus is on playing. I don't want to over-burden myself taking on a bunch of projects, but I do have a couple in the works.
MODERATOR: K.J., congratulations. Could you share your thoughts on winning?
K.J. CHOI: Two days ago, I had no idea about this course, but I practiced a lot on my short game, and it paid off. I'm very proud to win the Skins Game in my first time ever playing here. I'm very, very happy today. On the last hole, I just focused on my line. It was a straight line. Everybody played well, and I think everybody had fun today.
Q: You started the day with the lead, and then immediately Stephen wins a quarter of a million dollars. Mickelson won a hole and passed you, and then on 14 with the eagle. Could you tell us about the eagle?
CHOI: Yeah, I feel on the tee box to go down the middle and then 7-iron, 6-iron. It was high and a cut and I had perfect yardage.
Q: K.J., congratulations. You've won so many important, prestigious events. Where would you rank this victory? It's something that has been part of the golf fabric for so long, and it's a Korean company that's the sponsor - where would you rank this among all the things you've accomplished?
CHOI: When I was growing up, back in 1985 I started playing golf and watching the Skins Game. In my mind, the Skins Game is a very good thing. There have been some very good players who have played for a lot of money. When they invited me, I was very happy. The focus of this week was that I wanted to win, but ….. On the last hole, I was very afraid - these are good players. I watched the Skins Game growing up, and I wanted to win this.
Q: You get to come back here next year as the defending champion - how did you enjoy your time here on Thanksgiving weekend? What did you think of the golf course? This is a course that requires highly skilled shots - is it a course that was perfect for you?
CHOI: The way this course is designed and everything makes it a perfect Skins Game course. There are some long holes and some short holes, and it requires a lot of skill shots. For the second shot today, I wanted to use a 6-iron or higher, or a 4-iron the max. My control with the 8-iron, 7-iron and 6-iron was good. Every time, I seemed to put the shot in a good spot. This course is a fantastic Skins Game course.
Q: K.J., congratulations. You also won not only the Skins Game - you won a home entertainment center and kitchen appliances. What are you going to do with the kitchen appliances, and do you cook at all?
CHOI: I think I'll give to my wife. Last night, we joked about it. She just got in from Korea to Houston last night. We joked about #6, they have a TV ... and the 14th hole was bigger than the sixth hole. So she said, "OK, good luck today." I thought if I had a tee shot down the middle, I would have a chance. I'm so proud that on that hole I made an eagle, and so I say to LG, "Thank you."
Q: What does Andy do for you as a caddy?
CHOI: He's very independent. Sometimes my mind drops down and he lifts me up. On the golf course, he is very kind and the face is very happy and cheers me up. He keeps me loose with jokes or little comments on the golf course. We're a good combination together on the course. I respect him 100 percent. On the last hole, I had a lie and Andy said, "You can do it. Hit it hard. You can make it." I'm very happy that we are together.
Q: You had two Nike players and two Callaway players out there - what do you think would happen in a better-ball match with the Nike guys against the Callaway guys?
CHOI: I don't know. I am with Nike so we would win, I say. It is exciting to talk about, with the two balls. Phil and Rocco together would be tough.
Q: What did you hit for your second shot on 18?
CHOI: In the practice round, we tried the left side just behind the water and then we practiced to play the ball down the middle. So, okay, I am cutting a low ball down the middle. I am trying to get a second shot with a 9-iron or pitching wedge 199 yards, 120 yards. I hoped to hit it on the pin high. I feel if I was on the pin high, I could make the putt.
Q: And were you rooting against Stephen's putt?
CHOI: Both were very tough putts. If he made it, it would have been sudden death, so it wouldn't help. It was important to me to make my putt. If I make my putt, I win - there's a good chance. He's a very good putter, but he missed, and I ended up winning.
