INDIO, Calif., Sept. 16 (UPI) -- Tiger Woods, winner of the Masters and the U.S. Open and the top-ranked player in the world, heads the field of four golfers selected Monday to play in the annual Skins Game on Thanksgiving weekend.
Phil Mickelson, two-time majors winner Mark O'Meara and former Masters champion Fred Couples also will compete in the lucrative event at the Landmark Golf Club on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1.
Woods will be making his fourth appearance in the Skins Game. His most recent appearance was last season when Greg Norman won all 18 skins and $1 million.
Norman is not competing due to what tournament organizers said was a "previous commitment." Woods was invited to take his place and Mickelson, currently ranked second in the world, received a sponsor exemption.
Mickelson will be making his Skins Game debut.
Couples, the 1992 Masters winner, will be competing in his ninth Skins, tying the record held by Jack Nicklaus. Couples has earned $2.1 million in career skins and won the event in 1995, 1996 and 1999.
O'Meara competed in the Skins Game in 1997, 1998 and 1999.
The Skins Game will return to its original format this year, meaning a player no longer has to validate a skin on the following hole by winning or matching the low score to claim the money he won on the previous hole.
Each of the first six holes will be worth $25,000. Holes 7 through 12 are worth $50,000 and holes 13 through 17 will each be worth $70,000. The 18th hole will be worth $200,000.
All four players have agreed to donate 20 percent of their winnings to charity.
