Choi takes first-day lead in the Skins Game

K.J. Choi overcame the nerves of playing in his first LG Skins Game to take the first-day lead Saturday in the 26th annual event.

Choi rolled in a three-foot birdie putt worth $75,000 on the third hole, and earned that amount.

That gave him the lead over Phil Mickelson, who earned $25,000 with an eagle-three on the fourth hole. Two-time defending champion Stephen Ames and Rocco Mediate, playing in his first Skins Game, were shut out on the first nine holes.

With the foursome halving the final five holes of the front nine, $900,000 of the event's $1-million purse is still up for grabs in today's final nine holes at Indian Wells Golf Resort.

"Everybody here is a good player, good games and good short-game players," Choi said. "I was just really focused on 100 yards and inside."

The focus paid off for Choi, who missed a 12-foot birdie on the first hole that could have won a skin but then made four birdies in the next seven holes. Choi halved the second hole with Mediate with birdies, then won the $75,000 carry-over money on the third with an easy three-foot birdie while Mickelson and Ames missed the green long and Mediate missed a 90-foot birdie putt.

The first hole today will be worth $250,000.

"That's a lot of money on the first hole," said Ames, who won $650,000 of his $675,000 in the 2007 Skins Game on the final hole. "We'll see how well everyone sleeps tonight."

Brendan Jones made a four-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole, giving Australia a nine-under 63 and a share of the lead with Spain after the third round of the World Cup of Golf at Shenzhen, China. Both teams were at 22-under 194. . . . Annika Sorenstam chipped in for eagle on the par-five 18th hole to give herself and Suzann Pettersen a one-up victory over Inbee Park and Eun Hee Ji in the opening best-ball match in the Lexus Cup and help the International team tie Asia with six points going into today's 12 singles matches at Singapore Island Country Club.

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