More Information About Fred Couples
Frederick Steven Couples (born October 3, 1959) is an American professional golfer who competes on the PGA Tour and Champions Tour. A former World No. 1, he has won numerous events, most notably the Masters Tournament in 1992.[1]
Biography
Couples was born in Seattle, Washington, to Tom and Violet (Sobich) Couples. Fred's paternal grandparents had immigrated from Italy, and changed the family name from "Copolla" to "Couples" to make it sound less Italian.[2] His mother is of Croatian descent.[3] His father was a groundskeeper for the Seattle Parks Department and the family, which included brother Tom, Jr., and sister Cindy, lived in a modest house on Beacon Hill. Nearby was the city's Jefferson Park golf course; here Fred developed his signature loose, rhythmic swing in order to gain enough distance to keep up with the older kids. Couples attended O'Dea High School in Seattle and the University of Houston, where, as a member of the Houston Cougars men's golf team, he roomed with Blaine McCallister, another future PGA Tour player, and future CBS television broadcaster Jim Nantz. His first PGA Tour victory came at the 1983 Kemper Open. He has amassed 15 total PGA Tour victories, including the The Players Championship twice (in 1984 and 1996) and one major victory, The Masters Tournament in 1992.
Couples has been named the PGA Tour Player of the Year twice, in 1991 and 1992. He also won the Vardon Trophy for lowest scoring average each of those years. He has been named to the United States Ryder Cup team five times (1989, 1991, 1993, 1995 and 1997).
In 1992, Couples spent 16 weeks at the number one spot in the Official World Golf Rankings, after one of the hottest starts to a season by a PGA Tour player ever. Starting with the Nissan Los Angeles Open (where he defeated Davis Love III in a playoff), Fred won two tournaments and finished second in two others (plus broke the course record at the TPC at Sawgrass with a third-round 63 in The Players Championship) in the five weeks leading up to The Masters. At Augusta, Couples carried over his momentum, shooting in the 60s in each of the first three rounds to hold second place heading into Sunday. After a shaky start to his final round that allowed 49-year-old Raymond Floyd to claim the lead, Fred took it back with 18- and 20-foot birdie putts at the 8th and 9th holes, respectively, then saved par on a slick 6-footer at 10. At 12 (perhaps the scariest par-3 in the world), Couples barely cleared Rae's Creek in front of the green, but his ball stuck in the rough instead of rolling backwards into the hazard. Sensing that destiny was on his side, Couples held off Floyd the rest of the way, completing Augusta's treacherous back nine with eight pars and one birdie to win his first Major. The win pushed Couples past the $1 million mark in earnings on the season as well, by far the fastest any player had reached that plateau.
Couples is sometimes called "Mr. Skins" because of his dominance in the Skins Game. He has won the event five times (in 1995, 1996, 1999, 2003 and 2004), accumulating US$3,515,000 and 77 skins in 11 appearances. Because of his dominance at the Skins and other off-season events like the Johnnie Walker World Golf Championship, Couples is also known as the "King of the Silly Season," referring to the exotic made-for-TV events staged in the winter that are better known as the "silly season". Couples was frequently accused of "choking" in his early career, with mistakes in the 1989 Ryder Cup and the 1990 PGA Championship at Shoal Creek Golf and Country Club often mentioned. However, he became the first American player to reach the number one position in the official World Rankings in 1992 (other Americans had, of course, previously been the world's number one player, from Walter Hagen and Bobby Jones to Ben Hogan and Jack Nicklaus; but the "official" World Ranking points system was only instituted long after the peak of their careers and simultaneously with the rise in worldwide golf beyond the U.S., Great Britain and Ireland). His only major, at The Masters that year, came with a stroke of good fortune at the 12th hole. Hitting an 8-iron, Couples' tee shot landed on the rough at the edge of Rae's Creek; although his ball rolled back towards the water, it incredibly remained on the bank.
Couples is a frequent visitor to the UK, and has an excellent record in the Open Championship, where he has finished several times in the top ten. His best places are tied 3rd in 1991 at Royal Birkdale -shooting a last round 64, and tied 3rd in 2005 at St Andrews. He completed his first visit to St Andrews in 1984 on a spectacular high by holing his approach at 18 for an eagle on the final day.
Back problems have, at least in part, truncated Couples' career. His swing features an extreme shoulder turn at the top, which, combined with the fact that he keeps his left foot flat on the ground throughout the backswing, puts a lot of pressure on his lower back. However, with an abbreviated schedule and a little help from swing coach Butch Harmon, Couples is still one of the best players on Tour. In 2003, at age 44, Couples finished 34th on the PGA Tour money list. That year he also won the Shell Houston Open, his first win in five years; Couples wept with joy after the win, but quickly explained the tears: "I'm always emotional when nice things happen to nice people," he quipped.
In April 2006, Couples challenged at Augusta, making a Sunday run at what would have been his second green jacket before finally bowing out to eventual winner Phil Mickelson, with whom he was paired in the final round. Had Couples won, he would have been the oldest player ever to win the Masters at age &0000000000000046.00000046 years, &0000000000000188.000000188 days—supplanting Jack Nicklaus, who, coincidentally, won his final Masters 20 years earlier and also at the age of 46. His competitiveness in the tournament was an encouraging sign for his career. "I didn't hit the ball like I was 46," Couples said.
Couples' part in the USA 1993 Dunhill Cup win included victory in all five of his matches, and his overall record reads: played 16, won 12, lost 4. In 2004, Couples won the Dunhill Links Championship Team Event at St Andrews, partnered by New Zealand amateur Craig Heatley.
In 2005 Couples sank a crucial putt in the Presidents Cup, securing an unlikely 1-up victory over the International team's best player, Vijay Singh. This match proved to be pivotal in the contest. Couples has now played Singh three times in Presidents Cup match play, and has yet to lose.
Couples was sidelined for virtually the entire 2007 season because of health problems. However, he did compete in the 2007 Masters, making the cut for the 23rd consecutive time, tying the record held by Gary Player. Couples missed the cut in 2008 and 2009.
In 2009, Couples has limited his play but performed impressively at the Northern Trust Open. If it wasn't for Phil Mickelson shooting a 62 on that Saturday, Couples may have won instead of finishing third. He nearly won the Shell Houston Open but bogeyed the last three holes and finished third behind Paul Casey. He also played well at the HP Byron Nelson Championship (T8) and the AT&T National (T11) tournaments. He hurt his back practicing for the RBC Canadian Open and had to withdraw. But he rested and recovered and made the cut for the 2009 PGA Championship (T36) and performed successfully in the Wyndham Championship (T5) which put him past the $1,000,000 mark on the money list for the 7th time in his career.
Couples was named as 2009 Presidents Cup captain for the United States team on February 26, 2008 and led the Untited States team to a decisive victory.
Couples made his debut on the Champions Tour at the opening event of the 2010 season, the Mitsubishi Electric Championship in Hawaii.[4] He nearly won the tournament, finishing second to Tom Watson. Couples later stated, "I had a wonderful time. I think I was 21 under par and didn't win a tournament. That hasn't happened too many times." Had he won, he would have become the 16th player to win his Champions Tour debut. He won his next two starts, The ACE Group Classic and the Toshiba Classic.
Couples currently resides in Palm Springs, California.
Because of his long drives, Couples has been given the nickname "Boom Boom". He co-designed the Lost Canyon Golf Course in Simi Valley, California, among many others around the world.
Family
Couples' marriage to his first wife Deborah ended in 1992. They had met as students at the University of Houston in 1979. The divorce was finalized in 1993, and she later fell to her death in May 2001, ruled a suicide by the Los Angeles City coroner's office.[5]
Couples' estranged wife, Thais Baker, died from breast cancer on February 17, 2009. They had married in 1998 and the union was childless.
Trivia
- Couples enjoys a reputation for being one of the most laid-back, easygoing players on the PGA Tour. His best friend on Tour, Davis Love III, confirms this: "Everybody thinks Fred's relaxed on the golf course, but he's more tense on the golf course than anywhere. He's a relaxed guy."
- Couples is an avid gardener. Couples learned gardening from his grandfather, who was a groundskeeper at Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle.
- Inducted into the National Italian-American Sports Hall of Fame in 2007.
Professional wins (48)
PGA Tour wins (15)
| Legend |
| Major Championships (1) |
| Other PGA Tour (14) |
|
| No. |
Date |
Tournament |
Winning Score |
Margin of Victory |
Runner(s)-up |
| 1 |
Jun 5, 1983 |
Kemper Open |
-1 (71-71-68-77=287) |
Playoff |
 T.C. Chen,  Barry Jaeckel,
Gil Morgan, Scott Simpson |
| 2 |
Apr 1, 1984 |
Tournament Players Championship |
-11 (71-64-71-71=277) |
1 stroke |
Lee Trevino |
| 3 |
May 10, 1987 |
Byron Nelson Golf Classic |
-14 (65-67-64-70=266) |
Playoff |
Mark Calcavecchia |
| 4 |
Feb 25, 1990 |
Nissan Los Angeles Open |
-18 (68-67-62-69=266) |
3 strokes |
Gil Morgan |
| 5 |
Jun 27, 1991 |
Federal Express St. Jude Classic |
-11 (68-67-66-68=269) |
3 strokes |
Rick Fehr |
| 6 |
Sep 22, 1991 |
B.C. Open |
-19 (66-67-68-68=269) |
3 strokes |
Peter Jacobsen |
| 7 |
Mar 1, 1992 |
Nissan Los Angeles Open |
-15 (68-67-64-70=269) |
Playoff |
Davis Love III |
| 8 |
Mar 22 1992 |
Nestle Invitational |
-19 (67-69-63-70=269) |
9 strokes |
Gene Sauers |
| 9 |
Apr 12, 1992 |
The Masters |
-13 (69-67-69-70=275) |
2 strokes |
Raymond Floyd |
| 10 |
Mar, 12 1993 |
Honda Classic* |
-3 (64-73-70=207) |
Playoff |
Robert Gamez |
| 11 |
Aug 7, 1994 |
Buick Open |
-18 (72-65-65-68=270) |
6 strokes |
Greg Kraft, Steve Pate,
Curtis Strange |
| 12 |
Mar 31, 1996 |
The Players Championship |
-18 (66-72-68-64=270) |
4 strokes |
 Colin Montgomerie, Tommy Tolles |
| 13 |
Jan 18, 1998 |
Bob Hope Chrysler Classic |
-28 (64-70-66-66-66=332) |
Playoff |
Bruce Lietzke |
| 14 |
May 31, 1998 |
Memorial Tournament |
-17 (68-67-67-69=271) |
4 strokes |
Andrew Magee |
| 15 |
Apr 27, 2003 |
Shell Houston Open |
-21 (65-68-67-67=267) |
4 strokes |
 Stuart Appleby, Mark Calcavecchia,
Hank Kuehne |
*Note: The 1993 Honda Classic was shortened to 54 holes due to inclement weather
European Tour wins (2)
Other wins (29)
- 1978 Washington Open (as an amateur)
- 1983 JCPenney Mixed Team Classic (with Jan Stephenson)
- 1988 Northwest Open
- 1990 Northwest Open, RMCC Invitational (with Raymond Floyd), Sazale Classic (with Mike Donald)
- 1991 Johnnie Walker World Golf Championship
- 1992 World Cup (team event with Davis Love III)
- 1993 World Cup of Golf (individual event and team event with Davis Love III), Alfred Dunhill Cup (with John Daly and Payne Stewart), Lincoln-Mercury Kapalua International
- 1994 Lincoln-Mercury Kapalua International, World Cup of Golf (team event with Davis Love III), Franklin Templeton Shark Shootout (with Brad Faxon), Wendy's 3-Tour Challenge (with Paul Azinger and Greg Norman)
- 1995 Johnnie Walker World Golf Championship, Skins Game, World Cup of Golf (team event with Davis Love III)
- 1996 Skins Game, Wendy's 3-Tour Challenge (with Davis Love III and Payne Stewart)
- 1997 Wendy's 3-Tour Challenge (with Tom Lehman and Phil Mickelson)
- 1999 Franklin Templeton Shark Shootout (with David Duval), Skins Game
- 2001 Hyundai Team Matches (with Mark Calcavecchia)
- 2003 The ConAgra Foods Skins Game, Tylenol Par-3 Shootout at Treetops Resort
- 2004 Merrill Lynch Skins Game, Tylenol Par-3 Shootout at Treetops Resort
- 2006 ING Par-3 Shootout
Champions Tour wins (2)
Major championships
Wins (1)
Results timeline
| Tournament |
1979 |
1980 |
1981 |
1982 |
1983 |
1984 |
1985 |
1986 |
1987 |
1988 |
1989 |
| The Masters |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
T32 |
10 |
T10 |
T31 |
DNP |
T5 |
T11 |
| U.S. Open |
T48 LA |
DNP |
DNP |
CUT |
CUT |
T9 |
T39 |
DNP |
T46 |
T10 |
T21 |
| The Open Championship |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
T4 |
DNP |
T46 |
T40 |
T4 |
T6 |
| PGA Championship |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
T3 |
T23 |
T20 |
T6 |
T36 |
CUT |
CUT |
CUT |
LA = Low Amateur
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
Summary of major championship performances
- Starts – 86
- Wins – 1
- 2nd place finishes – 2
- Top 3 finishes – 8
- Top 5 finishes – 12
- Top 10 finishes – 25
- Longest streak of top-10s in majors – 3 (twice)
United States national team appearances
- USA vs. Japan: 1984
- Ryder Cup: 1989 (tie), 1991 (winners), 1993 (winners), 1995, 1997
- Asahi Glass Four Tours World Championship of Golf: 1990, 1991
- Alfred Dunhill Cup: 1991, 1992, 1993 (winners), 1994
- World Cup of Golf: 1992 (winners), 1993 (winners), 1994 (winners), 1995 (winners)
- Presidents Cup: 1994 (winners), 1996 (winners), 1998, 2005 (winners)
See also
References
External links
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World Number ones since 1986 |
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*Tiger Woods (USA) is the current World No. 1, and has spent the most weeks in that position, currently over 580.
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