Pals Couples, Armour bring fun to Champions Tour

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Stan Badz/PGA TOUR

Fred Couples was all smiles after his first victory on the Champions Tour at The ACE Group Classic.

Tommy Armour III and Fred Couples go back a long way. They have history from their amateur days, on and off the course. They are good friends and enjoy each other's company.

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But seldom have they had a better time than Sunday's final round at The ACE Group Classic.

What's more fun than shooting 64 -- and winning?

What's more fun than shooting 61 -- and pushing Couples to the limit?

Nothing and nothing.

Armour's Champions Tour debut was every bit as auspicious as the arrival Couples produced a few weeks earlier. The similarities were many.

Armour played a great round and a great tournament at The Quarry only to finish 1 shot behind the winner. In Hawaii, Couples celebrated his entry to the Champions Tour with a terrific closing 64 to shoot 21-under-par. Against a great golfer, Tom Watson, it wasn't quite enough and Couples had to settle for second.

In Naples last week, Armour shot a final-round 11-under 61. And, yes, that also wasn't quite enough against a great golfer and Armour had to settle for second by a shot.

"I just can't get over 61," Couples said. "That's amazing.

"After Hawaii, I went back home feeling pretty good about myself, the way I played. I'm sure today he (Armour) feels the same way."

He sure does. After a round of eight birdies and an eagle, what other emotion can there be?

"I birdied half of them and one more," Armour said. "I played well. I didn't miss too many shots. A couple of wedges I could have hit closer but made a couple of putts. It all evens out. I was happy, obviously.

"I never looked at the board all day. I knew Fred could not shoot higher than 66. He's a pretty awesome player. It was fun. I like to play golf. It's always fun."

But maybe not always as fun as this was.

That was the plan Couples and Armour had in mind all along. Couples texted Armour after the first round with both in contention and said, "Since we're here, let's have some fun and play good."

Armour's response, via text: "I hear you."

"I've known Fred since we were in college," Armour said. "We roomed together in amateur tournaments, spent time together every now and then."

Couples and Armour were born five days apart in October, 1959. Couples was a college star at Houston. Armour went to New Mexico. Couples turned professional in 1980, Armour a year later.

"I've known Tommy since we both were in college," Couples said. "I used to stay with his parents in Dallas.

"I birdied the first three holes and I think I had a 6-shot lead over everybody but one guy. Then it was seven shots. I was telling Joe (LaCava, his caddie) that I didn't need to do anything stupid or crazy, just keep plugging along. Next thing I know Tommy made two or three more birdies. I looked at the leaderboard at 15 and I was tied. And shocked. Even (playing partner) Scott Hoch said you must have thought you had a 3-, 4-shot lead. I surely did.

"I shot 8-under with the lead. I thought that would be easy enough."

Couples expects more of the same from Armour.

"He's a great player and he's been working very hard on his game," said Couples, who plans to play about 15 tournaments on the Champions Tour. "He's played very well the last 3, 4, 5 years."

Before his Champions Tour debut, Armour said there were mixed emotions.

"You look forward to it and you don't look forward to it," he said. "I guess it's kind of a double-edged sword but here I am. I'm glad to be here.

"It seems like everybody's enjoying what they're doing. That's the feeling I get from all the players. They're enjoying this tour. I'll come and enjoy it with them."

Champions Tour Insider notes:

• Couples is a cumulative 38-under-par in six rounds over two Champions Tour events. His scores: 65, 66, 64, 68, 67, 64. He ended both tournaments with a 64. That goes a long way in explaining his first- and second-place finishes.

• Couples leads the Charles Schwab Cup points race and the money list. He is second in driving distance behind Tom Lehman (301.5 yards to 300.2 yards). Couples is also the Greens in Regulation leader among those who have played two tournaments (84.26) and is second to Armour overall in the GIR statistic. Armour hit 85.19 percent of the greens at The Quarry.

• Scott Hoch made his first since since last summer when he withdrew from the U.S. Senior Open with a wrist injury. Hoch shot 70-68-69 to finish third.