Fred Couples

Player Notes

Couples was introduced to golf by his father, Tom, who worked for the Seattle Parks and Recreation Department. He attended the University of Houston, earning all-American honors in 1978 and '79, and playing with teammates Blaine McCallister and current CBS Sports announcer Jim Nantz. He earned his Tour card at Q-school in 1980 and finished among the top 60 in his first five years on tour, earning his first victory in the 1983 Kemper Open in a playoff over Tze-Chung Chen, Barry Jaeckel, Gil Morgan and Scott Simpson. The next year he won the Tournament Players Championship and finished seventh on the '84 money list. Couples had two poor years after that, but in 1987 he regained his form, winning the Byron Nelson Classic and finishing 19th on the money list. He dropped to 21st in '88, but in '89 improved to 11th, then 9th in '90 and 3rd in '91 before his big season, 1992. In a span of 10 weeks in 1992 he won the Los Angeles Open, Nestle Invitational and Masters, earning just over a million dollars. He finished the year 1st on the money list with $1.34 million. At Doral in 1994 his back went into spasms and he was forced to take three months away from golf. In 1995 the back spasms returned forcing him to miss over 3 months of tournaments between the MCI Heritage Classic and the Buick Open. Although he has limited his schedule to accommodate his arthritic back, Couples has won three times in the last four seasons, at the 1996 Players Championship and the 1998 Bob Hope and Memorial. . . Member of 1989, '91, '93, '95 and '97 Ryder Cup Team. . .In the 90s has won over $7 million in 2nd season earnings. . .* Winner 1991-92 Vardon Trophy . . .Winner 1991 & '92 PGA Tour Player of the Year and 1992 PGA of America Player of the Year.

Career Victories

European Tour
4 1991 and '95 Johnnie Walker World Championship, 1995 Dubai Classic, Johnnie Walker Classic

PGA Tour
15 - 1983 Kemper Open, 1984 Tournament Players Championship, 1987 Byron Nelson Classic, 1990 Nissan Los Angeles Open, 1991 Federal Express St. Jude Classic, B.C. Open, 1992 Nissan Los Angeles Open, Nestle Invitational, Masters 1993 Honda Classic, 1994 Buick Open, 1996 Players Championship, 1998 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, Memorial Tournament, 2003 Shell Houston Open.

Other
1994 Franklin Templeton Shootout (teamed with Brad Faxon), 1999 Franklin Templeton Shootout (teamed with David Duval), 1999 Diner's Club Matches (teamed with Mark Calcavecchia), Skins Game (1995, '96 & '99)

Career Summary

1990 PGA Tour Summary
Tournaments entered - 22; in money - 18; top-10 finishes - 9; stroke average 69.97 (ranked 8th); money $757,999 (ranked 9th).

1991 PGA Tour Summary
Tournaments entered - 21; in money - 20; top-10 finishes - 8; stroke average 69.59 (ranked 1st); money $791,749 (ranked 3rd); Winner Federal Express St. Jude Classic and B.C. Open.

1992 PGA Tour Summary
Tournaments entered - 22; in money - 20; top-10 finishes - 12; stroke average 69.38 (ranked 1st); money $1,344,188 (ranked 1st); winner, Nissan Los Angeles Open, Nestle and The Masters.

1993 PGA Tour Summary
Tournaments entered - 19; in money - 17; top-10 finishes - 9; stroke average 69.85 (ranked 7th); money $796,579 (ranked 10th); winner Honda Classic.

1994 PGA Tour Summary
Tournaments entered - 15; in money - 15; top-10 finishes - 4; stroke average 69.28 (ranked 2nd); money $625,654 (ranked 23rd); winner, Buick Open.

1995 PGA Tour Summary
Tournaments entered - 15; in money - 12 top-10 finishes - 4; stroke average 70.22 (ranked T15th); money $299,259 (ranked 63rd); best finish, T5th, Mercedes Championship.

1996 PGA Tour Summary
Tournaments entered - 18; in money - 16 top-10 finishes - 9; stroke average 69.57 (ranked 2nd); money $1,248,694 (ranked 6th); winner, Players Championship.

1997 PGA Tour Summary
Tournaments entered - 15; in money - 13; top-10 finishes - 7; stroke average 70.13 (ranked 22nd); money $448,385 (ranked 55th); best finish, T4th, in Mercedes Championship.

1998 PGA Tour Summary
Tournaments entered - 17; in money - 16; top-10 finishes - 5; stroke average 69.87 (ranked 11th); money $1,650,389 (ranked 9th); winner Bob Hope Chrysler Classic & Memorial Tournament.

1999 PGA Tour Summary
Tournaments entered - 16; in money - 13; top-10 finishes - 6; stroke average 70.58 (ranked 37th); money $769,192 (ranked 56th); best finish, T4th, AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am & Players Championship.

2000 PGA Tour Summary
Tournaments entered: 19 / Rounds Played: 70 / Cuts made: 17 / Top-10 finishes: 5; Best finish: T5th at the Buick Invitational & Nissan Open; Earnings: $990,215 Rank (47th)

2000 Stats
Scoring - 70.04 / (14th); Driving Distance - 284.7 / (13th); Driving Accuracy - 60.5% / (183rd); GIR - 71.1% / (5th); Putting - 1.774 / (86th); Birdie Average - 4.03 per rd / (9th) / Total Birdies - 282; Sand Saves - 67.0% / (1st); Scrambling - 56.9% / (157th); All-Around Rank - 394 / (15th)

2001 Notes
First time in his career he has finished out of the top-125.

2001 PGA Tour Summary
Tournaments entered: 19 / Rounds Played: 68 / Cuts made: 14 / Top-10 finishes: 0; Best finish: T11th at the Verizon Byron Nelson Classic; Earnings: $385,984 Rank (131st)

2001 Stats
Scoring - 70.97 / (73rd); Driving Distance - 288.2 / (21st); Driving Accuracy - 64.6% / (159th); GIR - 70.2% / (22); Putting - 1.764 / (70th); Birdie Average - 3.63 per rd / (91st) / Total Birdies - 247; Sand Saves - 38.3% / (189th); Scrambling - 53.7% / (186th); All-Around Rank - 627 / (66th).

2002 Notes
Doubled his earnings from the previous season and got back in the top-125

2002 PGA Tour Summary
Tournaments entered: 18 / Rounds Played: 60 / Cuts made: 13 / Top-10 finishes: 2 / Best finish: T-2nd at the Texas Open at LaCantera / Earnings: $646,703 Rank (103rd)

2002 Stats
Scoring - 70.92 / (68th); Driving Distance - 288.6 / (26th); Driving Accuracy - 60.9% / (188th); GIR - 64.6% / (127th); Putting - 1.751 / (35th); Birdie Average - 4.05 per rd / (9th) / Total Birdies - 243; Sand Saves - 50.0% / (102nd); All-Around Rank - 586 / (41st)