Couples Is Playing to Form in British Open

The best finish in a British Open for Fred Couples was what? Third. In 1991. Right here at Royal Birkdale Golf Club.

So when Couples finished off his four-under 66 Thursday, the only thing left to do was . . . get his back treated by specialist Tom Boers.

In his 11 British Open appearances, Couples has seven top 10s, including ties for seventh the last two years, which means he should be one of the favorites when they tee it up each July at these links courses.

At 38, the way he has played this year, it has sort of brought back some pleasant memories.

“I feel like I’m very close to playing like I did a long time ago when every time I went out I thought I was going to play well,” he said.

Couples won the Bob Hope and the Memorial and tied for second at the Masters and the Byron Nelson. He had a chance to win them both, which would have made his 16th year his best.

Maybe it already is. Couples, who lives in Mandeville Canyon near Riviera Country Club, recently became engaged to his girlfriend, Thais Bren. He’s feeling good about his golf after taking off since the U.S. Open, then practicing last week at Los Angeles Country Club and working with his longtime coach, Paul Marchand.

THEN COUNT THE WAYS

Matt Kuchar is an amateur, but for how long no one is sure, not even the 20-year-old from Georgia Tech.

Although Kuchar, who shot a 75 Thursday, has proved to be a quick study at golf, his grasp of economics doesn’t seem quite as solid. Kuchar said he might be rich if he turns pro. He just doesn’t know how his expected wealth will add up.

“They are saying millions. I don’t really know what a million is going to do for me. . . . I really don’t know what a couple of million will do for you.”

Really? Most people know exactly what a couple of million dollars would do for them.

DING-A-LINGS

The ringing of a cellular phone interrupted Lee Westwood during his round of one-over 71, but he said the sound didn’t bother him. What does bother Westwood is why spectators bring their cellular phones with them.

Said Westwood: “If you need a telephone on the course, you are too busy and you should be in the office.”

HAPPY ENDING

On his way to a 67, Brad Faxon hit a three-iron on the sixth hole and bounced the ball off a spectator’s rear end. The ball ricocheted 40 yards.

“But I got my par,” Faxon said.

BENT, TWISTED

Faxon had this feeling something was wrong with his putter, but he couldn’t figure it out. He just knew it, though, so when he saw putter guru Scotty Cameron, he asked for help.

Cameron discovered that Faxon’s putter was bent in three places.

HIS JUMPER WAS OFF

Here’s what David Howell of England had to say after his first-round 68: “I took my jumper off at the sixth and it was a glorious day to be playing links golf.”

Well, you take off your jumper, the day just has to be glorious.

(In England, a jumper is a sweater).

BUNKER MENTALITY

Tom Watson hit into five bunkers on his way to a 73, which he considered fair enough, for one basic reason.

“You’re not supposed to be in them,” he said.

HE HAS AD APPEAL

According to Ad Track, Tiger Woods’ 1997 Nike television ad campaign was more popular than advertisements by any other athlete in the last three years, except for a 1995 Nike advertisement involving Drew Bledsoe and Marshall Faulk.

The same Woods ad was the third-most effective, the survey said, behind a 1995 McDonald’s commercial with Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and Charles Barkley, and a 1995 Taco Bell campaign with Shaquille O’Neal and Hakeem Olajuwon.

THE DALYS AGAIN

When John Daly entered the Betty Ford Clinic 15 months ago, his wife began divorce proceedings. But Paulette is back with Daly. They flew together to Manchester, both of them wearing T-shirts and blue jeans, in the first-class cabin.

Daly, who shot a first-round 73, said he has had a tough time getting his life together.

“It’s been a struggle,” he said. “I’m back with my wife, which is really a miracle in itself. So, actually, things in my life are really good right now.”

AN ENGLISH SUMMER

The Royal and Ancient Golf Club uses the Meteorology Office in Glasgow for its weather forecast. Like weathermen everywhere, the so-called Met Office predicts just about everything to touch all the possibilities.

This was the forecast for Thursday: “Clouds will thicken early in the morning, bringing outbreaks of rain by midmorning. The rain will fragment into showers during the evening [then a] mix of scattered showers with clear intervals.”

And for today: “A mixture of scattered showers with bright or sunny intervals. Overnight will see a mixture of scattered showers with bright or sunny intervals.”

If there actually turn out to be any sunny intervals overnight, it’s a bigger story than anyone could have imagined.

INFLATION

When Ben Hogan won the 1948 U.S. Open at Riviera, he won $2,000. The player who finishes last in the U.S. Senior Open next week at Riviera will make $3,704. The winner gets $267,500.

BIRDIES, BOGEYS, PARS

Terry Jastrow, best known for his golf telecasts for ABC, is moving from the fairways to the runways--he’s producing a prime-time special of the Paris fashion show.

For what it’s worth, the winner of next year’s $5-million Andersen Consulting Match Play Championship at La Costa in February, part of the three-event World Golf Championships, will get $1 million.

Also for what it’s worth, 38 players have won at least $500,000 so far on the PGA Tour. David Duval leads with $1.6 million in 15 weeks.