
KA’ANAPALI, Maui – Fred Couples will make his Champions Tour debut by joining five Hall of Fame members as the 23rd Wendy’s Champions SKINS GAME returns to the beautiful island of Maui, Hawaii and the Royal Ka’anapali Golf Course Jan. 16-17, 2010.
The 50-year-old Couples is part of a dynamic field that includes Hall of Fame members Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Gary Player, Ben Crenshaw and Nick Price.
Along with this legendary group, Loren Roberts will compete in his second Wendy’s Champions SKINS GAME while Crenshaw and Fuzzy Zoeller attempt to become the first team to successfully defend its title.
For the fifth consecutive year, the players will compete in the alternate-shot, team format which has produced memorable shots, a sprinkle of intrigue and a bundle of player commentary. The players will play nine holes each day, with ESPN televising the Wendy’s Champions SKINS GAME on a tape-delayed basis Saturday, Feb. 27, 4:00-6:00 p.m. and Sunday, February 28, 2:00-4:00 p.m. (Times vary in different areas; check your local listings). The broadcast will also be available on ESPNHD.
Crenshaw and Zoeller return to the Royal Ka’anapali Golf Course at the Ka’anapali Beach Resort to defend their title against 2007 champions Nicklaus and Watson, who are paired for the fifth consecutive time. Couples will join Price, who is also competing in his first Wendy’s Champions SKINS GAME while Roberts and Player create a fantastic putting combination.
Here is a snapshot of the four teams:
Ben Crenshaw—Fuzzy Zoeller: While Zoeller has won two consecutive competitions as an individual—teaming with Peter Jacobsen in 2008 and Crenshaw in 2009—as a duo they hope to become the first team to win back-to-back titles. Hall of Fame member Crenshaw has accumulated 19 PGA TOUR victories, including the 1984 and 1995 Masters. Zoeller won the 1979 Masters, the 1984 U.S. Open and the 2002 Senior PGA Championship during a career that has included 12 victories.
Jack Nicklaus—Tom Watson: These two legends and Hall of Fame members have entertained and amazed sports fans for decades. Still considered the greatest to play the game, Nicklaus started his professional career by winning the 1962 U.S. Open for the first of an unmatched 18 major championship titles. Watson excited the sports world earlier this year as he lead the British Open late into Sunday before losing a playoff to Stewart Cink. It would have been Watson’s sixth Open title. Together this twosome has won 134 official events on both the PGA TOUR and Champions Tour.
Gary Player—Loren Roberts: This team is in place for the second time. They finished third with four skins in 2008. Roberts has won the Charles Schwab Cup title two of the past three years and has accumulated 11 wins on the Champions Tour, including three this year. Player has won 163 tournaments around the world, including nine major championship titles. The Hall of Fame member will be competing in this event for the 11th time.
Fred Couples—Nick Price: Not only is this Couples debut on the Champions Tour, both of these players will be making their first appearance in the Wendy’s Champions SKINS GAME. They will also be the youngest team in the competition. Couples enjoyed his year as captain of the victorious U.S. team at the Presidents Cup this fall. He arrives on the Champions Tour with 15 career victories and has won the Tour’s version of the Skins seven times. Price just completed his third year on the Champions Tour and picked up one win this year. He won 18 times on the TOUR.
Content provided by Kaanapali Golf Resort