K.J. Choi overcame the nerves of playing in his first Skins Game by using a precise short game and key putts to take the first-day lead in the 26th annual event yesterday in Indian Wells, Calif.

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

That gave him the lead over Phil Mickelson, who earned $25,000 with a spectacular eagle-3 on the fourth hole. Two-time defending champion Stephen Ames and Greensburg native 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 alive for the final nine holes today.

"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. Playing the best golf of the foursome, Choi halved the second hole with Mediate with birdies, then won the $75,000 carryover money on the third hole with an easy 3-foot birdie.

• World Cup of Golf: Brendan Jones made a 4-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole, giving Australia a 9-under 63 and a share of the lead with Spain after the third round in Shenzhen, China. Miguel Angel Jimenez and Pablo Larrazabal of Spain, who held a four-stroke lead after two rounds, settled for a 67. Jimenez missed a 6-foot putt for birdie on the final hole, which would have kept Spain in the outright lead. Both teams were 22-under 194.

• Australian Mastsers: Robert Allenby holed a 3-wood shot for a double eagle on the par-5 seventh and finished with a 5-under 67 for a share of the third-round lead in Melbourne with playing partner Michael Sim. Sim shot a 68 to match Allenby at 10-under 206.

• Lexus Cup: Annika Sorenstam chipped in for eagle on the par-5 18th hole to give herself and Suzann Pettersen a 1-up victory over Inbee Park and Eun Hee Ji in the Lexus Cup, Sorenstam's final LPGA Tour-sanctioned event in Singapore. With the comeback victory in the opening best-ball match, Sorenstam and Pettersen helped the International team match Asia with six points entering the closing 12 singles matches today.