The two-time defending champion of the LG Skins Game, Ames will attempt to retain his throne against World No. 2 and three-time major champion Phil Mickelson, five-time PGA Tour winner K.J. Choi and 2008 U.S. Open runner-up Rocco Mediate in the $1 million LG Skins Game on Thanksgiving weekend, November 29-30, at the Celebrity Course at Indian Wells Golf Resort.
Renowned for its high entertainment value on Thanksgiving weekend, the LG Skins Game is in its 26th year and will be produced by ESPN and aired on ABC Saturday, November 29 from 1-3:30 p.m. EST and on Sunday, November 30 from 3:30-6 p.m. EST (check local listings). This is the 18th year ABC has served as the U.S. broadcast home to the Skins Game.
Ames returns with the aspiration of becoming the second player, after the late Payne Stewart, to win three consecutive LG Skins Games. Stewart won his first, and only, three Skins Games from 1991-93. Ames, 44, is also bidding to become the third player in LG Skins Game history to win the showcase three times. Five-time champion Fred Couples is the winningest player in LG Skins Game history.
Considering some of the other 30 players, besides Ames, who have etched their names in LG Skins Game lore include Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and Tom Watson, the thought that another Ames win this year would put him on par with the number of combined LG Skins Game titles won by the aforementioned group is staggering. Mickelson will play in his third Skins Game. Event rookies Choi and Mediate will boost the number of all-time LG Skins Game participants to 33.
"I've had a wonderful time at the LG Skins Game the past two years and winning has just been an added bonus," Ames said. "I'm a big fan of the skins game format. It's fun for both the players and the fans, and I'm thrilled about the chance to return this fall looking for a 'three-peat.' I'm especially excited about the tremendous field LG has lined up for this year. I think the fans are in for a treat.
"At the 2008 event, I'll have my work cut out for me, but I am definitely up for the challenge of competing with some of the best players in the world and trying to make LG Skins Game history. It's such an honor to be among the elite group of players to be invited to an LG Skins Game. And I look forward to another fun weekend in Indian Wells, sharing some laughs with Phil, Rocco and K.J. and, hopefully, winning my third straight LG Skins Game."
Ames became the third player in LG Skins Game history to win the title in each of his first two appearances, following Fuzzy Zoeller (1985-86) and Stewart, and set a new record for most money won in his first two appearances. Ames became the fourth player to reach the $1 million mark in career LG Skins Game earnings, joining Couples ($4,225,000), O'Meara ($1,320,000) and Greg Norman ($1,200,000).
In addition to his successes at the LG Skins Game, Ames has forged strong ties to the LG brand. In fall 2007, he appeared at LG Open de Montreal, a charity golf event where LG built a 70-yard golf hole in the heart of downtown Montreal. In June 2008, LG Electronics Canada inked an exclusive endorsement contract for the use of Ames's likeness in Canadian advertising, public relations and promotional materials across all media--a perfect complement to his LG Skins Game victories.
In his brief LG Skins Game history, Ames, ranked No. 26 in the world, has already ascended to No. 3 on the event's all-time earnings list, with $1,265,000, and No. 9 all-time with 17 skins won. Ames trails Mark O'Meara by a mere $55,000 for second place on the all-time Skins Game money list. Sixteen of Ames' 17 skins have come on Sunday as he is second in career money won on Sunday's back nine holes ($1,240,000).
In one of the most thrilling conclusions in LG Skins Game history last year, Ames cashed in a 7-foot putt for eight skins, worth $650,000 (the second-most money won on one hole in LG Skins Game history), his second consecutive LG Skins Game title and overall earnings of $675,000. During the christening of the Celebrity Course at Indian Wells Golf Resort to the LG Skins Game, the putt ended the drama in which all four players stood over makeable birdie putts on No. 18 to win the event. Zach Johnson missed his 40-foot putt inches to the right, Fred Couples missed his 20-foot putt inches to the left and Brett Wetterich's 10-foot putt slid off the left lip of the cup.
At the 2006 LG Skins Game, rookie Ames bested John Daly, Couples and Fred Funk by holing a 3-foot birdie putt on the third playoff hole to win the decisive two skins (worth $270,000) and $590,000 overall. Ames won all eight of his skins on Sunday and became the sixth player to win the event after not recording a skin in Saturday's opening nine holes. The exciting three-hole playoff was the 14th in LG Skins Game history. Ames secured an invite to the event by winning the Players Championship earlier in 2006.
The first touring professional to come out of Trinidad & Tobago and a resident of Calgary, Canada, Ames had previously carved a reputation as quite the Skins Game hustler. Ames, the four-time World Cup player who holds citizenship in Trinidad & Tobago and Canada, won the Canadian Skins Game in 2005.
The winner of three PGA TOUR events, most recently the 2007 season-ending Children's Miracle Network Classic, Ames has six top-10s in 2008 with his best finish a third at the Mercedes-Benz Championship. In recent months, Ames placed fifth at the PGA Tour Playoff's BMW Championship, tied for seventh at The Open Championship, and recorded another fifth-place result at the Players Championship. He is 26th on the PGA Tour money list with over $2.1 million earned.
In the LG Skins Game, players compete for money for each hole rather than the low score for the round. A player must win a hole outright to win a skin. If a hole is tied, the skin(s) and money carry over to the next hole. Each of the first six holes (one through six) will be worth $25,000. Each of the second six holes (seven through 12) will be worth $50,000. Holes 13 through 17 will each be worth $70,000, and the 18th hole, the LG Super Skin, will be worth $200,000. The foursome will play for $300,000 on Saturday and $700,000 on Sunday. Twenty percent of the winnings ($200,000 total) will be donated to the players' favorite charities.
The Celebrity Course, which opened in November of 2006 to rave reviews, hosts the event for the second consecutive year and will host the event through 2009. Last year, the par-72, 7,088-yard course lived up to expectations by giving the professionals a stage with risk/reward scenarios. For example on the par-5 fourth hole Couples went for the island green in two, managing to avoid the water, but instead he found a green-side bunker. Then, in what will certainly make highlight clips for years to come, Couples holed out for eagle and three skins, worth $75,000. In addition to competitive drama, the Clive Clark-designed Celebrity Course features mountain views, streams, brooks and split-level lakes connected by cascading waterfalls. Desert wildflowers along with mature trees neatly frame the fairways and greens adding yet another dimension to the Celebrity Course's alluring charm.
A limited number of tickets are available for the LG Skins Game. Fans can enjoy all three days of action with a three-day pass for $75. Individual day tickets are priced at $25 for Friday's LG Skins Game Celebrity Pro-Am; $45 for Saturday's first round and $35 for Sunday's final nine holes. There is also a daily VIP ticket for $150 per day, or enjoy the three-day VIP ticket for $300. Indian Wells residents will receive a special rate and can purchase their tickets at the Indian Wells Golf Resort Golf Shop or City Hall. Parking and shuttle service are free. Tickets may be purchased online at www.indianwells.com or in person at the Indian Wells Golf Resort, 44-500 Indian Wells Lane, 8 a.m.-3 p.m., seven days a week, or Indian Wells City Hall, 44-950 Eldorado Drive, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday. Tickets may also be available for purchase during LG Skins Game weekend. Children under 17 years of age are admitted free.
The popular event was first played in 1983 at the Desert Highlands in Scottsdale, Ariz. for two years before moving to Bear Creek Golf Club in Murrieta, Calif. in 1985. The Coachella Valley became a permanent fixture for the event beginning in 1986. The TPC at PGA West in La Quinta, Calif. was home from 1986-1991 and then the site shifted to Bighorn Golf Club in Palm Desert from 1992-1995. Rancho La Quinta Country Club in La Quinta, Calif. hosted from 1996-98, followed by Landmark Golf Club in Indio, Calif. from 1999-2002. The LG Skins Game was played at Trilogy Golf Club in La Quinta, Calif. from 2003-2006.
During the 26 years, the list of participants in the event reads like a who's who of the greats in golf - Palmer, Nicklaus, Woods, Watson, Player, Lee Trevino, Mickelson, Couples, Curtis Strange, Nick Faldo, Raymond Floyd, Tom Kite, Paul Azinger, Vijay Singh, Colin Montgomerie, Stewart, Greg Norman, Mark O'Meara, Tom Lehman, Fuzzy Zoeller, John Daly, Sergio Garcia, Corey Pavin, Adam Scott, Peter Jacobsen, Jesper Parnevik, David Duval, Fred Funk, Ames, Johnson, and the only female player, Annika Sorenstam.