COUPLES FATTENS HIS AMPLE WALLET; POPULAR GOLFER ADDS COOL HALF-MILLION TO HIS ALREADY-LARGE SKINS GAME TAKE.

Byline: Larry Morgan Staff Writer

The 17th annual Skins Game turned out be a rewarding experience, figuratively and literally, for Fred Couples.

Couples, who said he was moved when asked to take the place of the late Payne Stewart in the popular competition, finished with a record $635,000 in winnings, thanks to a $510,000 day Sunday at Landmark Golf Club.

He won 11 skins overall and also set records for most money won in Skins Game history ($1.975 million), most money won on a single hole ($410,000), most money won on Sunday ($510,000) and most birdies (nine) for 18 holes.

O'Meara finished second with $170,000 and Sergio Garcia was third at $70,000. David Duval was shut out for the second time. He also didn't win any money in 1997.

O'Meara jokingly gave Couples a new nickname after the two-day affair.

``He's Mr. Skins, that's all you can say,'' said O'Meara, the defending champion. ``Freddie `Skins' Couples.''

The low-key Couples attributed his success to good fortune.

``I say it every time,'' he said. ``Luck is the greatest thing that's ever happened to the Skins Game. There is a lot of luck involved.''

Plenty of good golf also enters into the equation, and there was a lot of it on Sunday's back nine. Couples birdied five holes, including one on the par-5, 563-yard 18th hole that netted him $410,000. The 18th hole, already designated a $200,000 Super Skin, was another $210,000 richer thanks to a three-hole carryover.

Couples started the hole poorly when he drove into a bush left of the fairway. O'Meara's drive went far to the right, while Duval and Garcia found the fairway off the tee.

Couples hacked out of trouble with an 8-iron, followed by a 210-yard 4-iron to 12 feet. O'Meara left his second shot under the lip of a bunker short of the green.

``That was a real smart play for somebody who's been playing for 20 years,'' O'Meara said after taking himself out of the hole.

Duval also surrendered after going for the green in two but leaving his 255-yard 3-wood short and in the water.

Garcia was over the green and in a bunker from 269 yards out and left his third shot about eight feet short. Couples promptly drained his putt and Garcia missed to make Couples the big winner.

Couples said he was surprised at the hole's sudden turn of events.

``After walking up to my drive, I thought somebody was going to make birdie,'' he said. ``I also thought David's ball was going to carry. Sergio looked to be on the back edge, and it made my shot a lot easier because there was nothing to lose. If I hit a good shot, I make five and go away.

``But I didn't think I would win it.''

Only three of the previous eight holes were won outright. Couples' two-putt birdie from 50 feet on the par-5 10th hole was worth $100,000, O'Meara drained a 40-footer for birdie to win $170,000 on the 232-yard 13th hole, and Garcia won $70,000 on the next hole, a 314-yard par-4 in which each player attempted to drive the green but found greenside bunkers.

Garcia made a two-footer for birdie after almost holing out from the sand, and Duval missed from four feet.

Duval's putter often betrayed him over the weekend.

``I wish I had won some skins, but that's how this game is, the nature of this format,'' Duval said. ``I don't worry about it. I had a couple of chances. I would have liked another chance or two, but just didn't make them.

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, box

PHOTO (1 -- color) Fred Couples set all kinds of records at the Skins Game, most notably the $635,000 he pocketed over the weekend, giving him $1.975 million in his Skins Game career.

(2 -- color) Although competitive, the players also have a fun time as Sergio Garcia, left, and Mark O'Meara share a laugh.

Lenny Ignelzi/Associated Press

BOX: Skins game (see text)