`White Shark` Norman Bites for One Million Dollars

The 19th Skins Game (purse 1 million dollars) was a `zero-sum game` itself. `Zero-sum` refers to the situation in which a gain by one person or side must be matched by a loss by another person or side. Because of a new rule forcing a player to at least tie for low score on the next hole after winning a skin, some experts anticipated the monopolization by a certain player. By the way, `Perhaps` turned into a `Reality`.

In second day, Greg Norman won the victory to earn a prize of one million dollars, making him the biggest winner in the 19-year history of the event at Landmark GC (par 72), Indio, California yesterday.

Norman won all the previous skins of 800,000 dollars in the 17th hole, and took even the remaining 200,000 dollars in two extra holes.

Before this event, Fred Couples was the biggest winner earning 635,000 dollars, and he had earned the biggest skin (410,000 dollars) for a single hole in 1999.

Four players failed to win any money on Saturday`s front nine, and they continued a close contest until 15th hole with skins untouched.

In 16th hole (par 4), Jasper Parnevik (Sweden) made a 6-m birdie putt to almost grab the 730,000 worth of skins that he could have won if he had tied for low score on the hole.

But Norman`s 17th 1m20 birdie putt took away 730,000 dollars from Panervik`s pocket and grabbed an opportunity to earn even 70,000 dollar skin in the 17th hole.

As Woods (USA) and Montgomerie (Scotland) both put their second shots in the water on the par-5 finishing hole and Parnevik hit the lip of a fairway bunker and was well short of the green, the luck continued for Norman. Norman hit an iron into the right greenside bunker, but dropped a 1m20 par putt to earn 800,000 dollars.

By dropping a birdie again in the second extra hole (par 4 14th), Norman acquired even the remaining 200,000 dollars.

Norman said excitingly, "Any win is a great win, whether it`s a Skins Game or a regular tournament. "It`s very satisfying to do it. Whenever you beat the caliber of players like that, it`s good."

Young-Sik Ahn ysahn@donga.com