DUBLIN, Ohio – Tiger Woods sank a 25-yard chip shot from the rough on the final hole to win the Memorial Skins Game after his practice round with fellow legend Jack Nicklaus in nine years.

On the eve of his final tuneup for the US Open, world number one Woods holed the shot to capture a "closest to the pin" chipping contest at Muirfield Village, the home course for Nicklaus, the all-time major win leader with 18.

"Didn't surprise me," Nicklaus said. "Didn't surprise him."

Woods, whose 14 major titles rank second only to boyhood idol Nicklaus, will be among the favorites at the Memorial and Nicklaus said he thinks Woods will break his record by 2012.

"I think the pace he has and the quality of player that he is, even if he doesn't play well I think he'll probably still break my record. But he still has to do that," Woods said.

"I would suspect that he is such a focused young man and his work ethic is so good, that I would suspect he will pass it. He will probably in the next three years. He'll probably do that.

"But, if it's the next three years, that's fine with me. Then he can get it over with, and I can go shake his hand. And I don't have to worry about where I'm going to travel to to shake his hand."

Nicklaus, 69, won two skins with a four-foot birdie putt on the par-5 11th, using an eight-iron to set up the shot.

Woods answered with a 25-foot birdie on the 13th for two skins and Stewart Cink birdied the 14th for another skin.

Four skins were up for grabs on the 18th hole and it appeared that defending Memorial champion Kenny Perry would take them by saving a par from the bunker until Woods made a clutch 12-foot putt that forced the deciding chip contest.

"That's one of the great things about our sport," Woods said. "Guys from past generations - not just one generation removed, but a few - can still compete out here. Not at the highest level, but for nine holes. A few holes, they certainly can play with us, and even beat us."

Nicklaus and Woods last played in a competitive situation at the 2000 PGA Championship, the final major of Nickalus' career.

Woods said he can see improvement every week from the long layoff that came after his victory in last year's US Open and has been careful not to risk any damage that might deliver him a setback in his return.

"Had to be that way. Worst thing you can do is stretch out the ligament right away. The surgery would have been all for naught," Woods said. "That's one of the reasons it takes most athletes a lot longer to come back.

"That's one of the reasons why I haven't been able to hit balls as far as I normally do, but that's coming. Each week, I'm able to hit a little bit longer. It's great. Just a little longer before I'm able to get all of that back."

Woods sees himself as better now than he was in 2000 when he won three majors on his way to four in a row and the "Tiger Slam" but said that the results might not be as strong despite his improved game.

"I'm a far better player than I was in 2000, no doubt," Woods said. "Certainly have a lot more shots than I did then.

Understand how to play the game of golf infinitely better than I did then.

"People fail to realize the field has gotten better. Everyone has gotten better. It's not just me making improvements, it's everyone.

"Everyone's gotten longer. Everyone's gotten stronger. Back in those years, fitness wasn't a big part of the tour. Now everyone seems to have a personal trainer that travels with them on the road."