By Times Staff and Wire Reports
Published December 1, 2003
LA QUINTA, Calif. - Annika Sorenstam earned $225,000 and a lot of respect with a second-place finish as the only woman in the Skins Game.
Fred Couples won the event for a record fourth time. He collected all but $25,000 of his $605,000 Sunday, the final day of the 18-hole, made-for-television event.
"I think she played terrific golf," Couples said. "I certainly didn't play better than Annika. I just made a few more putts and a couple of lucky shots."
Phil Mickelson was third with $170,000. Mark O'Meara won nothing, one year after earning $405,000 and the title.
"I've played with a lot of fine players," O'Meara said, "and I'd have to put Annika at the top of the list."
Couples won eight skins - seven Sunday. Sorenstam and Mickelson had five each.
"I'm very glad I came. I've enjoyed it so much," Sorenstam said. "It's really an honor for me to play with all three of them. They've been so great to me, and I've learned a lot this week. It really tops a wonderful year."
Couples birdied the 17th three times, twice in a four-hole playoff to determine the winner of the par-5, 575-yard 18th. Couples clinched the title when he and Mickelson birdied the second hole and Sorenstam didn't.
Couples and Mickelson needed two more holes to end it. Couples' 20-foot birdie, again on the 17th, added $200,000 to his take. His first time on 17, Couples won a $140,000 skin by sinking a 55-foot birdie.
Couples, in his 10th Skins Game, ran his record career earnings in it to $2.875-million.
NEDBANK CHALLENGE: Sergio Garcia won the Sun City, South Africa, event for the second time in three years, beating Retief Goosen with a 15-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole. Garcia, the 2001 winner in a playoff with Ernie Els, closed with 2-under 70 and Goosen shot 69 for 14-under 274.
SWIMMING: Phelps adds two victories
American Michael Phelps won the 100-meter butterfly and 400 individual medley at the short-course World Cup in Melbourne, Australia, giving him six wins in as many races. Phelps held off a strong challenge from compatriot Ben Michaelson to win the 100 butterfly in 51.11 seconds. Phelps then came out to take the 400 medley in 4:06.28, the fastest time in the world this year. Other American winners: Ed Moses (200 breaststroke), Jason Lezak (50 freestyle), Lindsay Benko (200 freestyle) and Amanda Beard (200 individual medley).
OBITUARY: Gertrude Ederle, the toast of America and Europe in 1926 when, at age 19, she became the first woman to swim the English Channel, died. She was 97. Because of stormy weather, Mrs. Ederle swam 35 miles in crossing the 21-mile channel, but her time stood for 24 years.
WINTER SPORTS: Maier takes super G
Austrian Hermann Maier won a World Cup super-giant slalom in Lake Louise, Alberta. Maier, a double Olympic gold medalist and three-time World Cup overall champion, missed almost two seasons after a 2001 motorcycle accident nearly cost him a leg. He finished in 1 minute, 36.69 seconds.
BOBSLED: Andre Lange piloted Germany I to victory in a World Cup four-man race in Lake Placid, N.Y. Lange posted a two-run time of 1:51.5. Todd Hays' United States I sled was next, 0.24 seconds back. Hays won his second medal of the weekend and third of the season. ... Olympic bobsled gold medalist Eugenio Monti, 75, was in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the head, and Cortina D'Ampezzo, Italy, police were investigating the shooting as a possible suicide attempt.
FIGURE SKATING: Jeffrey Buttle of Canada skated a strong program to beat Olympic bronze medalist Tim Goebel of the United States and win the NHK Trophy in Asahikawa, Japan. With the victory, Buttle wrapped up a place in the Dec.12-14 Grand Prix final in Colorado Springs.
ET CETERA
BASEBALL:The Devil Rays appear to have struck out in their bid to sign Tom Gordon. Newsday reported on its Web site the free-agent reliever agreed to a two-year, $7-million deal to be the Yankees' setup man. The Rays were hoping to lure Gordon by giving him the chance to be a full-time closer.
COLLEGES: Florida was seeded third in the East Region and will play host to the first and second rounds of the NCAA Volleyball Championships. The Gators meet Georgia Southern at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, and Central Florida faces Cincinnati at 5:30.
HORSES: Former U.S. Olympian Margie Engle of Wellington and Hidden Creek's Perin won the $100,000 American Grand Prix Association championship for the second time in three years. They were fault-free in the first round and jumpoff in Wellington. ... Sweet Return moved in front early and stayed there on the way to winning the $600,000 Hollywood Derby at Inglewood, Calif. Ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Julie Krone, 17-1 shot Sweet Return finished a half-length in front of Fairly Ransom.
RUNNING: Kenyans dominated the Milan Marathon, with John Birgen (2:09:08) leading a 1-2-3 finish among the men and Anne Jelagat (2:29:22) winning the women's division.
