E-Notes: Hoch earns first pair of consecutive titles

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• For the first time since 1994, the first four tournament winners of the season came from behind the final day to win. Fred Funk, Jerry Pate and Scott Hoch (twice) have all started the final round behind the leader.

Scott Hoch

• When Scott Hoch won last week's ACE Group Classic, it marked the first time in his career that he collected titles in consecutive starts. The closest he came was when he won the 1996 Michelob Championship at Kingsmill and then finished tied for third in his next start at the Deposit Guaranty Classic.

• Gary Player's second-round 70 last week at The ACE Group Classic bettered his age by two. It's the eighth time he's done that and the 18th time he's at least shot his age on the Champions Tour.

• Tom Kite finished tied for second last week in Naples, Fla., for his 16th career runner-up finish on the Champions Tour. He had 29 second-place efforts during his PGA TOUR career. He also has nine Champions Tour victories and 19 PGA TOUR titles to his credit.

• The eight players that make up this year's Wendy's Champions Skins Game field own 508 victories worldwide, led by Gary Player with 163 victories. Jack Nicklaus is second with 115 wins, followed by Arnold Palmer (96) and Tom Watson (61).

• The eight players have combined for 44 major championships on the PGA TOUR, with Jack Nicklaus accounting for 18 of those. Gary Player (nine), Tom Watson (eight), Arnold Palmer (seven) and Fuzzy Zoeller (two) account for the rest. In addition, the eight have won 31 major titles on the Champions Tour led by Nicklaus with eight. Player has won six times and Watson and Palmer own five wins apiece

• Arnold Palmer is playing in his 20th Wendy's Champions Skins Game, and Jack Nicklaus is playing in his 18th. Palmer owns three titles (1990, 1992-93).

• Jack Nicklaus has won more skins in this event than any other player with 96 and is 30 wins ahead of runner-up Raymond Floyd. Nicklaus has also won $2,295,000 at the event, $380,000 in front of his closest pursuer, Floyd.

• There have only been five eagles carded in the 20-year history of the Wendy's Champions Skins Game, and Jack Nicklaus owns four of them. He and partner Tom Watson both recorded eagles in 2004.