PGA CHAMPIONSHIP NOTES

Fred Couples, whose bad back has limited his activity and kept him out of such events as the recent British Open, played a pain-free practice round.

“I feel all right now,” Couples said. “But I don’t want to be playing in the tournament and get tired and have it go out on me. So, I’m going slow.”

He was eager to play Riviera, having twice won L.A. Opens here. He also finished second to Corey Pavin in 1994.

Asked what advice doctors had given him, Couples said: “I really don’t know how to answer that. One said to take it easy. The other said exercise, exercise, exercise. This last guy felt he could solve my problem, and maybe he has. Basically, if I don’t feel good, I don’t play good.

“So, I don’t want to say I’m a favorite this week, because no way I am. But this is one of my all-time favorite courses, so I didn’t want to miss this.”

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This is only the second Los Angeles visit for South Africa’s Ernie Els. Last time he was here, in 1987, he went to Universal Studios and didn’t play golf.

And this time?

“Well, my girlfriend’s off to Universal today. I was tempted to go with her. Yeah, I’d like to maybe get around a little bit, maybe not go into the bad areas in L.A. Maybe we’ll go out to a Dodger game. Are they leading the league this year?”

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Hal Sutton on his lean years since winning the 1983 PGA:

“I had a personal relationship with a lot of bad swings.”