CHAMPIONS TOUR’s rookie sensation Couples ran away with Toshiba Classic

Fred Couples won his second straight Champions Tour title, shooting a 6-under 65 for a four-stroke victory over Ronnie Black Sunday at the Toshiba Classic in Newport Beach Country Club, CA.

Couples, making just his third start on the 50-and-over tour, won the ACE Group Classic on Feb.14 and finished runner-up to Tom Watson in the season-opening event in Hawaii.

Last week, he tied for 14th in the PGA Tour’s Phoenix open.

“In a good way I am full of confidence with my game,” said couples. “I talked to Jay Haas a long time ago and when you are 50 you are the youngest guy out here and if you are a good player like I think I am, I thought I would have some opportunities to win out here.”

It’s good to be young, and Couples would have been three out of three if Watson hadn’t edged him with two birdies on the last two holes in Hawaii.

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Couples has taken the Champions Tour by storm, establishing himself in a very short time as the man to beat. He earned $255,000 Sunday for a total of $691,000 in just three starts.

Watson turned in the best round of the tournament, 62, matching his personal best on the Champions Tour, and also tying Hale Irwin’s 1998 mark for the best final round of the tournament.

Black, with 65, finished second at 14 under, Tom Lehman and Chien Soon Lu tied for third at 12 under. Watson and Loren Roberts followed T5 at 11 under.

Couples played the front nine in 1 under Sunday, but got things going on the back nine with an eagle, four birdies and a bogey for a 5-under 31.

“I was a little off,” Couples said. “I made some good swings. I started coming on the back nine.”

Watson had an eagle and three birdies on the first four holes, a bogey on 9, and then birdied five of the last nine holes. He pulled within two strokes of Couples at one point, but ran out of holes.

Black also got within two of Couples when he eagled the 15 and Freddy bogeyed the 13, but couldn’t get any closer.

“I was struggling with my swing as well as my putting,” Black said. “If I had been a little sharper I think I could have come after Couples a little better.”

Couples reached the par-5 15 in two and made a 12-foot eagle putt to take a 4-shot lead he kept to the end. His second shot to the par-5 18th hit the side of the grandstand, he hit a wedge to 20 feet and rolled in the birdie putt.

“The shot I hit was basically an up and down,” Couples said. “I got on the green and I’ve been putting really well this whole year.”

In nine Champions Tour rounds, Couples hasn’t shot worse than 68 and is 56-under par over 162 holes. Not bad for a rookie.

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CHAMPIONS TOUR’s rookie sensation Couples ran away with Toshiba Classic

CHAMPIONS TOUR’s rookie sensation Couples ran away with Toshiba Classic

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