KAANAPALI, Hawaii — Greg Norman and Jay Haas won the first three skins worth $90,000 and had the lead after nine holes Saturday in the wind-swept Champions Skins Game.
Fuzzy Zoeller and Ben Crenshaw were in second with one skin worth $30,000, while the teams of Jack Nicklaus-Tom Watson and Gary Player-Bernhard Langer were shut out on the first day of the alternate-shot event.
With howling trade winds that kept the players guessing and conservative, five skins were carried over to today's back nine, where $650,000 of the $770,000 purse will be on the line.
The par-5 10th hole at the Royal Kaanapali Course will be worth six skins and $220,000.
With two skins and $60,000 at stake on the par-5 third, Haas sank a 10-foot birdie putt to open a large lead over the others. Player missed his 6-footer to halve the hole.
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On the first hole, Haas hit a gap wedge from 78 yards to 12 feet, and Norman made the putt.
It appeared Norman and Haas were going to sail into the Maui sunset with a canoe full of money until Zoeller made a 35-foot birdie putt on the par-4 fourth that drew a roar from the sun splashed, picture-snapping crowd.
Zoeller unleashed a flurry of right uppercuts and even drew a congratulatory fist bump from Player.
Zoeller and Peter Jacobsen won the event last year with six skins worth $320,000, all earned on the second day. Crenshaw was a last-minute replacement for Jacobsen, who withdrew because of a left shoulder injury.
Nicklaus, making his 19th appearance, was shut out on the front nine for the first time since 1998. The three-time winner owns 10 records, including most career skins (104) and career money ($2,430,000).
European Tour
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — Paul Casey opened with two birdies and shot a 9-under 63 to take a commanding lead at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship after the third round.
Casey added another seven birdies in a bogey-free round that missed the National Course record by one stroke. He has a four-shot lead at 19-under 197.
Defending champion Martin Kaymer shot a 65 to move into second place.
Graeme Storm was third at 14-under 202 after a round of 69, while Anthony Wall (69) was another shot behind. Peter Hanson (66) and Johan Edfors (69) were tied for fifth at 204 with Louis Oosthuizen (68).
