Fred Couples is sick at the Hoag Classic, but he's swinging harder than ever. How come?
"I went to the desert to practice," he said, "and I got sick, really sick. You know, I kept putting this coat on because I'm actually sweating."
And while that might slow some players, the illness didn't seem to bother the 14-time Champions winner, who fired a 67 during the opening round at Newport Beach Country Club, leaving him just three shots off the lead.
Couples has just two starts under this belt this year on the senior circuit, but has finished in the top 15 at both events, including a T4 at the Chubb Classic in Naples, Florida. But he's been swinging strong of late, hoping that he can maximize his length as a jaunt down Magnolia Lane looms.
"I think getting out in the sun helped. I hit the ball solid. The next month I'm trying to hit my driver like I'm trying to hit it as far as I can, and to be honest with you, I drove it really well today. I drove it off the fairway on 18, but I did great," he said. "I've been hitting in the basement and the last 20 balls -- you know, everyone does weird things, so I thought you know, in here I'm going to start swinging physically as hard as I can. Now I'm doing it on the range.
"If I felt better, I would go do it after my round, too. That's my goal. If I can drive it like this today at Augusta, I'll have one less club. Last year I hit too many 200-yard shots."
Couples also talked before the event about his friend Tiger Woods, who he said is still in good spirits despite an Achilles injury.
"He'll be fine," Couples said of Woods. "He's my man and texting him is a lot of fun."
'He's in great spirits.'An update from Fred Couples on Tiger. pic.twitter.com/fEbdzEvt9G
— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) March 21, 2025
Brendan Jones has the lead at the Hoag, but Couples is well within range of capturing another Champions crown, something he last did at the 2022 SAS Championship in North Carolina. There's a little extra incentive for Couples in that he lives nearby.
"I'm more worried about Newport. I'm trying to play well here, I live here. You've been from right here, too. I love the golf course," he said. "I could have shot better, but even on the last hole, you know, I'm not hearing the ball with the putter blade, it's more of just hitting it, and I left a lot of putts short.
"So (Saturday) I'll try and be a little more aggressive, but I need to hit it like I did today."
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Fred Couples near top of leaderboard at PGA Tour Champions Hoag Classic
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