Local Ties: Blessing and Curse for Couples

If there’s a sentimental favorite at the 80th PGA Championship, it has to be Fred Couples, the hometown kid who was born in Seattle.

Couples hasn’t played since the British Open, where he shot four under the first day and 23 over the next three to finish tied for 66th.

“I was just pathetic,” Couples said.

But after some time off, he’s thinking positively again and hoping for the best, playing in front of hometown fans who would like nothing better than for him to pull off a big one.

It’s probably going to be pretty draining, Couples said.

“There’s a lot of people who think they know you here and they want a second of your time. And you can’t do that. I think they all know that. I go watch a Sonic game and I don’t run down the court between timeouts and talk to Detlef Schrempf or somebody.

“I think they know. They’re outside the ropes. I hope they scream extremely hard for all of us from this area.”

Couples, 38, was introduced to golf by his father, Tom, who worked for the Seattle Parks and Recreation Department. Tom Couples died last year.

“He’s always on my mind. It would be a great week from an aspect of this is where I grew up. He’s not here, but I still get to play in front of people who knew him. It’ll be an easy week because of that.”

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Paul Runyan, 90, the 1934 and 1938 PGA champion, was the first club professional at Sahalee, which probably makes him some sort of expert on the place.

Runyan played nine holes Monday at Sahalee to check the layout and shot a 42. That experience was enough for Runyan to pick a winner.

“Of all the people I’ve conjured in my mind, David Duval has the best chance,” he said. “He has all the shots to win, and he has more guts than a government mule.”

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Steve Jones, the 1996 U.S. Open champion, withdrew Wednesday and was replaced by Billy Mayfair.

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Hat trick: Playing together in a practice round Wednesday, Jesper Parnevik wore his cap with the flipped-up bill, Per-Ulrik Johansson wore a beret and Vijay Singh wore a visor.

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The Geibergers are making history today. Al Geiberger, 60, the 1966 PGA winner, and 30-year-old son Brent will be the first father-son team to play in a PGA Championship. Al received a lifetime exemption for his victory at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, and Brent got into the field for being among the top 70 PGA Tour money winners since last year’s PGA.

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Ratings game: For what it’s worth, last year’s PGA at Winged Foot in Mamaroneck, N.Y., had a two-day (Saturday-Sunday) average rating of 5.0--second-highest since a 5.8 average in 1985. By contrast, the British Open hasn’t averaged 5.0 for the weekend since 1983.

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You might say he missed the (red tape) cut: Stephen Ames of Trinidad and Tobago was the fifth alternate and would have made the field, but he couldn’t clear his visa. Mark Wiebe took his place.

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His other job is as a meteorologist: Payne Stewart likes the atmospheric conditions around the Seattle area. “The weather here is just a slice of heaven,” he said.

Check back with us in February, Payne.

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With “old” guys like Mark O’Meara, 41, and Lee Janzen, 33, winning majors this year, Justin Leonard was asked if that signaled a change in the trend begun last year, when all four majors were won by players under 30.

“I don’t know too many players who think ‘Oh, the young guys won . . . oh, the older guys won . . . oh, the middle guys won,’ ” said Leonard, 26. “It’s not something I really think about.

“I measure people by height, not by age. . . . That was a joke, that last part. Just making sure everybody knew.”