A chip into the hole and an opportune putt can mean lots of money in the Skins Game.
Corey Pavin made the chip and the putt Saturday to win $150,000 on the first day of the $540,000 event."The Skins Game is all timing," said Pavin, who chipped in from the fringe to win $100,000 on the fifth hole, then rolled in a bending 15-foot putt for another $50,000 on No. 7.
"It's just a matter of when you make a putt or hit a good shot. And you hope somebody else doesn't do it at the same time. If Freddie hadn't made his putt on the par-5 (No. 3) to tie that hole, all that money wouldn't have been there."
Pavin, the 1995 U.S. Open champion playing in his first Skins Game, came away as the big winner on the first day of the two-day showdown.
Peter Jacobsen, also a Skins rookie, won one hole worth $30,000.
Defending champion Tom Watson, last year's winner with $210,000, and three-time runner-up Couples, whose chip from 20 feet on No. 4 on Saturday lipped the cup and spun out, both left empty-handed.
"Tom and I are going to have to come out early and get a skin," Couples said, "if we can."
The money and the tension increase today, when $330,000 is up for grabs, including $60,000 on a $30,000 carryover from No. 9.
"Sunday's a big day," Pavin said. "There's a lot of money out there and it's going to be interesting. This was just kind of a warmup."
The first four holes, worth $20,000 each, were tied, building the pot to $100,000 on the par-4, 280-yard No. 5, a slight dogleg left with rocky desert between the elevated tee and the fairway.
Pavin hit his tee shot onto the fringe, 25 feet away from the pin, then knocked in his chip for an eagle 2 and $100,000.
After No. 6 was tied, Pavin added another $50,000 when he dropped in his birdie putt for a 3 on the par-4, 392-yard seventh hole. Couples had a chance to tie from 6 feet, but missed.
Jacobsen picked up his skin by sinking a 35-foot putt from the fringe for a birdie on the par-3, 205-yard No. 8.