GOLF NOTEBOOK: Couples to play Masters practice round with Woods
Published 11:04 pm Wednesday, March 31, 2010
HUMBLE, Texas — Fred Couples said Wednesday that he’ll play a practice round for the Masters with Tiger Woods at Augusta National on Monday.
Woods is making his return to competitive golf next week at the Masters after months of seclusion following revelations that he cheated on his wife.
Couples said he’ll avoid asking Woods about his personal life.
“This is not going to be questions and answers,” Couples said. “It’s going to be strictly golf. I play a lot with him at Augusta, so this is not unusual.”
Couples said he would be playing in a foursome with Woods, though he did not know who the other two golfers would be. Couples said he’s curious to see how fans will react to seeing Woods on the course again.
“I’m looking forward to it, for sure, just because he hasn’t played,” Couples said. “I want to see the reaction and how good he’s hitting it.”
Couples wasn’t sure what time the practice round would begin. Woods has a news conference scheduled for 2 p.m. that day.
The 50-year-old Couples has won his last three starts on the Champions Tour and says he’s taken some ribbing from Woods in recent text messages.
“He teases me about winning a couple of times on the Champions Tour,” Couples said. “He needs shots is what he’s telling me. I’m smarter than that.”
Presidents Cup captains named
HUMBLE, Texas — Fred Couples and Greg Norman are returning as captains for the 2011 Presidents Cup in Australia, the only place where the International team has won.
It will be the third time since the Presidents Cup began in 1994 that captains served in successive matches. Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player were captains for three straight Presidents Cups.
Couples led the American team to 191/2-141/2 victory at Harding Park in San Francisco last year.
The Presidents Cup will be played next year at Royal Melbourne. The matches last were played there in 1998, when the International team won, 201/2-111/2.
