Couples looking ahead while trying to contend at Chevron

Dec 21, 2008 - 5:11 AM By John Reger PA-SportsTicker Contributing Writer

THOUSAND OAKS, California (Ticker) - The king of the Silly Season is going into a forced retirement for at least the $5.75 million Chevron World Challenge, but Fred Couples is far from done playing on the PGA Tour.

Couples, who has played in eight of the past 10 tournaments, got the bad news from host Tiger Woods earlier in the week.

Starting in 2009 the tournament is going to count towards World Golf Ranking points and will attract an even stronger field. But conversely only the top 50 in the Official World Golf Rankings will be eligible to play.

"He said, 'I've got to tell you something,'" Couples said. "I go, 'Oh, my God, what did I do wrong?' He said, 'You cannot play my tournament next year unless you're in the top 50.' What am I, 400th right now?"

Actually Couples is holding strong at 173rd, but would need a strong showing in 2009, something the 49-year-old doesn't believe is out of the question.

Couples has definitely not embarrassed himself at this event. He shot an opening round 73, followed it with 69 and shot an even-par 72 on Saturday. He is tied for seventh with K.J. Choi.

He is five shots back going into the final round of the tournament and though he doesn't like his chances to win, he does think he can finish near the top of the leaderboard.

"I wouldn't consider myself to be a threat too much anymore," Couples said. "But I know I can go around this course because of old habit and I've played here and I like the course, so that certainly helps me."

That doesn't mean Couples doesn't think he won't ever see a winner's circle again. He is exempt on the PGA Tour and will play the first five events after Mercedes Championship.

"I hope to play well," Couples said. "I mean, I know I can play decent golf."

Especially on golf courses he is familiar with and that includes Riviera Country Club for the Northern Trust Open.

Look at some of the courses I do well at are ones I play every year," Couples said. "So in my mind when I go to L.A. next year, I feel like if there's a tournament I'll do well, it'll be there."

Couples has been plagued for years with a bad back, but now feels as good as he has in years. It certainly is better than in the mid 80s when he contemplated giving up the game.

"I feel like quitting and I just played really bad everywhere," Couples said. "I was mediocre-consistent for a few years."

If he had a stretch like that recently, he probably would have quit.

"If I continued to play really poor golf, I probably wouldn't do it," Couples said. "Last year I showed some signs where I was in the top 10 a few times and played really well at Houston."

The back and age have limited what Couples can do on a golf course

"My body goes out there and there are some days where I look up and the ball is not going anywhere near where I want it to," Couples said. "The whole mindset changes and I try and work it around to shoot a score and that's not really what you try to do."

That won't stop Couples from returning to the tour next year and try and earn his way back to Woods' tournament.

"I want to play better," Couples said. "If I work pretty hard, I can do it once in a while and that's OK."