Profile of Fred Couples on Famous Like Me

Frederick Stephen Couples (born October 3, 1959 in Seattle, Washington) is a professional golfer on the PGA TOUR. Because of his long drives, he has been given the nickname "Boom Boom."

Fred first played golf on Seattle's public golf courses, and admits to often sneaking on!

Couples attended the University of Houston, where he roomed with Blaine McCallister and CBS television broadcaster Jim Nantz. His first PGA Tour victory came at the 1983 Kemper Open. He has amassed 15 total PGA victories, including the Players Championship twice and The Masters Tournament in 1992, his only Major victory. He has been named the PGA Tour Player of the Year twice, in 1991 and 1992 and has been named to the Ryder Cup team five times (1989, 1991, 1993, 1995 and 1997). He spent 16 weeks at number 1 in the Official World Golf Rankings.

Couples is sometimes called "Mr. Skins" because of his dominance in the Skins Game. He has won the event five times, accumulating US$3,515,000 and 77 skins in 11 appearances. He won five of the Skins Games overall (1995, 1996, 1999, 2003 and 2004).

Fred has often been accused of choking in his early career, with mistakes in the 1989 Ryder Cup and the 1990 PGA Championship at Shoal Creek often mentioned.

Fred, however, became the first American player to reach no.1 in the World Rankings. His only major, at Augusta National, came with a stroke of good fortune at the 12th hole. Although his ball rolled back towards the water, it incredibly remained on the bank.

Fred is a frequent visitor to Britain 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 Andrew's. 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.

Fred's 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 Fred Couples won the Dunhill Links Championship Team Event at St Andrews, partnered by New Zealand amateur Craig Heatley.

In 2005 Fred sank a crucial putt in the President's Cup, securing an unlikely 1-shot victory over the International team's best player, Vijah Singh. This match proved to be pivotal in the contest. Couples has now played Vijah three times in President's Cup matchplay and has yet to lose.

PGA Tour wins

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

Results in major championships

DNP = did not play
CUT = missed the half way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place.

Team appearances

• USA vs. Japan: 1984
• Ryder Cup: 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997
• Asahi Glass Four Tours World Championship of Golf: 1990, 1991
• Dunhill Cup: 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994
• World Cup of Golf: (1992, 1993, 1994, 1995
• The Presidents Cup: 1994, 1996, 1998, 2005

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