Fred Couples May Have Played The Best Round You Will See This Year

By: Kieran Clark | Mon 17 Oct 2022

The PGA Tour Champions doesn't often create headlines, but when Fred Couples does something special, people pay attention to what is happening on the over-50s circuit.

On Sunday, 63-year-old Couples produced a stunning final round of 60 to win the SAS Championship by six shots. He not only beat his age by three strokes, the former world number one shot the lowest winning round in the history of the Champions Tour. It was also the lowest of his entire professional career, a rousing performance that brought with it his first victory in five years.

"It’s easy to say because we’re standing here, but I think it’s the best round I’ve ever played," Couples said. "I’ve shot 58 and 59 before, never in a tournament, but for a little bit of money and stuff, and you pay a lot of attention, but today I just was trying to stay two or three ahead of Jerry [Kelly] because I knew I could birdie at any given time."

And birdie he did, repeatedly. Having opened with four pars, the World Golf Hall of Fame member reeled off five consecutive birdies to take control of the event, but few could have foreseen the back-nine finish when he made seven birdies on the spin. Indeed, the crowd favourite birdied 12 of his last 14 holes.

Kelly was ultimately eight back of Couples' 20-under total, with Steven Alker claiming second at 14-under.

But this day was all about the Masters champion of 1992, who shot a round that will rank alongside his many career highlights.

Last year, Couples declared an ambition: "My goal is to win one more time. I feel like I can definitely do that and then when I do that, I'll figure out how much more I'll play."

He accomplished that emphatically.

Having struggled with back issues for many years, Couples competes infrequently these days; despite this triumph he won't even play in the season-ending playoff series on the Champions Tour.

Each April, Couples returns to Augusta National as a past champion. Now in his 64th year, the number of tournaments he will participate in are rapidly diminishing, but on this Sunday at Prestonwood Country Club in North Carolina, those fading fires were rekindled once more.

There have been many famed, historic rounds played this season throughout the game; but in its own way, this one is right up there with them.