Royal Audience

The crowds were huge on Sunday as the Skins Game got underway. The MBC network broadcast the second nine holes, but another cable network showed the first nine. Doubtless the buzz rarely gets this intense for an exhibition event, but it isn't everyday that you get two Korean heroes together with Tiger Woods on a Korean golf course.

On the first hole, a par 4 of only 350 yards, Se Ri took advantage of the short yardage and was the only player to hit the fairway off the tee. She hit a good iron, but was not able to make the birdie putt. Colin Montgomery, perhaps a bit more familiar with the greens, being as how he designed them and all, drew first blood and won the first skin with a birdie.

Then came the second hole, the 314 yarder. Tiger bombed his drive, but it trickled off into the fringe near the green. Se Ri hit a solid 255 yarder, a bit into the rough, but her approach went just over the green. She then proceeded to hit a wonderful putt that nearly went in; they showed this shot repeatedly during the highlights later. Alas, it was not enough, and Tiger two putted for birdie and the skin.

Tiger and Se Ri warmed up before the
Skins Game on Sunday

Tiger and Se Ri shivered a bit before the
action started

Se Ri surrounded by fans hits another
great drive

On the 3rd hole, a 519 yard par 5, Se Ri got her first par 5 test of the day. She passed it well, putting her third shot right on top of the hole, perhaps four feet away tops. Tiger was not so lucky, and was about ten feet away after three. He made his birdie putt, but Se Ri matched him to prevent him from taking the skin. Go Se Ri!

On the par 3 4th, a 205 yard hole, Se Ri hit a five wood off the tee, while everyone else hit four iron. This left her a 15 - 20 foot birdie putt, which she missed. Montgomery made his putt, winning two more skins.

The 5th hole was a long par 4, 444 yards. Se Ri did not play it very well, hitting a drive into the rough, then leaving her approach short. But she hit a great chip over a bunker to close to the flag. Alas, Montgomery made another birdie, and won another skin. The score was now Monty 4, Tiger 1.

On the par 5 6th, a 530 yard hole, she hit a decent drive, but decided to lay up for her second. She ended up two putting for par, but Choi and Monty both made birdie, and thus no one got a skin.

The 7th hole was a great one for Se Ri. A 212 yard par 3, she had to hit 7 wood off the tee. She striped it to within 7 feet, the closest of the four players (after doing this, she flashed her winning smile and made a V symbol with her fingers, while Tiger looked surprised at her shot). No one else made the birdie, so this was Se Ri's first good chance for a win. But she missed the birdie, too, and forfeited the two skins she would have won. If only...!

On the 8th hole, a long par 4 (443 yards), Se Ri did not have a good hole, making her first bogey of the event. But no one won the hole, either. And on the ninth hole, all four players tied again. At this point the cable coverage switched over to the network, and there was a little break in the action.

When things started up again, they were on the tenth hole, a 557 yard par 5. Tiger did not hit a great drive, letting go of his club after striking the ball. The other three were in the fairway, Se Ri 255 yards out. As happened most of the day, she hit her second shot first. But her fairway wood went left into the rough, giving her an awkward third shot. She was not able to get that close, so was essentially out of this hole. Monty also did not play well, leaving his third short of the green. But then he chipped in the birdie, and neither Tiger nor Choi was able to answer. Se Ri shouted 'What are you doing??' to Monty in a joking tone, which cracked up some of the crowd. Monty won 5 more skins on the hole for a total of 9.

Hole 11 was a slightly easier one, a par 4 378 yards long. But Se Ri hit a little lull at this point. Her drive was well left, causing her to squeak out a resigned 'Awww...' Still, she was only 140 yards out, and not in bad shape. She left her approach short, though she was right on line. She then hit a nice little chip to 2 feet. Choi just missed the birdie, but Monty made one, so now it was up to Tiger to prevent him from getting yet another skin. Tiger made his putt as Se Ri shouted 'Get in!' to coax it along. The skin got passed to the next hole.

Hole 12 was another short one (361 yards long), but again, Se Ri did not play it well. She hit a decent drive, but missed the green with a pitching wedge, landing in a bunker. Her bunker shot was also pretty weak. This was probably her worst hole. Tiger ended up taking the hole and two skins. He now had three total.

However, Se Ri could be forgiven for making a few mistakes, because the weather was getting colder, and the wind trickier. No doubt it affected her iron on 12. Hole 13 was a 209 yard par 3. Tiger missed the green right, and Monty's iron was eaten by the wind and dropped short into a bunker. Se Ri was just right of the green, and Choi got closest with his iron. But Se Ri did not hit a very good chip here. No one else played it well, either, and pars were had by all.

Hole 14 was the last shortish par 4, 374 yards in length. Both Monty and Choi hit weak drives into some weeds on the left side of the fairway, while Se Ri and Tiger hit solid drives. Se Ri put her approach within four feet, as did Tiger. It was one of her best shots of the day. Monty spent a good deal of time arguing about why he should get a free drop, then got one (probably because there was a big wooden box between the green and his ball, an artificial obstruction). But he still was not a factor. Choi recovered, though, hitting his iron to 6 feet, but he missed his putt. Se Ri then lined up her putt, but missed it also! Argh! What a heartbreaker. Tiger then calmly made his birdie and collected two more skins. Another opportunity lost by Se Ri.

Se Ri drives!

Se Ri missed a few makeable putts on the back side

Hole 15 was another great one for Se Ri. A 190 yard par 3, Se Ri was the only player who put her tee shot onto the green. Everyone missed their second shots, and Se Ri was left with a 20 foot birdie try. It was not an easy one, there was a fair amount of break. Nonetheless, she hit a superlative putt, which missed by the very slimmest of margins. Another heartbreaker. Had she made those last two putts, she could have collected three skins. It was that close to being a great day for her.

Hole 16 was another 530 yard par 5. This time, the tee shot had to carry a lake, which then wound its way along the left side of the fairway. The wind made things even trickier, but Se Ri hit a brilliant drive 290 yards into the middle of the fairway. Tiger's drive went 319 into a fairway bunker, while both Choi and Monty ended up in the right rough. Se Ri's second shot was also great, dead straight, but it bounced just short of the green and stopped. Had it rolled or bounced just once more, she might have been very close to the hole. As it was, she still ended up closest to the hole after two. After everyone hit their third shots, only Tiger got really close, and he was still three feet off. Se Ri again had a chance to collect a skin, this time from 25 feet. But once again her putter failed her. This time she left the putt a foot short. She cried, 'I can't BELIEVE I left that putt short! Darn it!'. Tiger then made his birdie, and handed her his putter, suggesting she try using it next time, which made her laugh.