Fred Couples (1959- )

Born in Seattle, USA, Couples "America's Favourite Golfer" will be remembered for his outstanding contribution to the American Ryder Cup squad during the 1990s.

Couples was a natural athlete as a child excelling in field sports. His introduction to golf came at a driving range close to where he lived. After high school, he attended the University of Houston under a golf scholarship and had considerable success as an amateur. He turned professional in 1980 aged 21 and and made an immediate impact in the Majors.

His early game was described as casual much like his personality. This belief was re-inforced by his effortless and consistent swing. The 1980s were a constant high for Couples. However when he lost his individual round in the Ryder cup and America subsequently lost the tournament, he blamed himself. He began to re-examine his attitude and felt that his game needed to be overhauled.

Once he emerged from the depths of self examination, Couples was born again and better. In 1992, he won the US Masters and took home more than $1m in prize money. He also became the first American to top the Sony World Rankings. However 1995 brought with it back trouble and he did not win a single tournament in that year. He has now recovered from that injury and has since established a consistent record on the PGA Tour. Couples has also added course design to his resume.

The book on Fred Couples is still open. He is still competing and we can expect alot more from this great talent.

Press here to visit Couples' Unofficial Home Page