CHUBB CLASSIC PRESENTED BY SERVPRO

February 13, 2025

Fred Couples

Tiburón Golf Club

Press Conference

Q. Fred, back out here at the Chubb Classic. Won two times here. How does it feel to be back? How is your game feeling?

FRED COUPLES: Yeah, well, my game is okay. I played Hawai'i. Kind of tweaked my back a little bit. I know every time people hear me talk it's always about that. I feel pretty good. Love the Chubb. Love all the courses we play down here. That are all just beautiful.

I'm sweating. My back feels warm. So I feel like it'll be a good week.

Like I say, I don't know if I skip this very often. It's a long way to Newport Beach. I'm 65 years old now, but I still love to play. It takes a good golf course. This is one my favorites believe it or not. It's a bowling alley. I got to maneuver the ball around the course. See what happens. I do like it.

Q. What specifically about just golf in South Florida with the weather and the course layout do you think plays to your game, and what do you like about coming down here?

FRED COUPLES: Well, first, several of us do a little Tampa First Tee outing on Monday. We play Avila. Few years in Black Diamond. Gets me out of the house. I come in Sunday, I watched the Super Bowl, played Monday, played Tuesday in Tampa, and then worked my way down here yesterday.

Most tournaments I get in Wednesday night, which is really not a good thing to do. You know, I just -- there is so much time that I like being at home. South Florida brings -- I mean, I live in Newport Beach. I'm spoiled. It's pouring down rain there. It's been raining for three days. San Diego looks --- I've been texting my caddie and Revy, Justin Thomas' caddie, and it's so cold and windy and rainy that it looks awful.

I keep saying, hey, it's 82 here. Revy lives in West Palm, so it's just fun. I really do. Has nothing to do with winning twice here. I say I won on two different courses and for $1 million. I know I won at Twin Lakes, Twin Eagles. I don't even know the name of the other course. I don't want any members mad at me.

But I come to play the courses and Chubb always picks a good one, and we stayed here for a few years. I've never won here. As I get older I still think I can compete here and that's really why I'm here.

Q. Looking ahead with the Masters coming up in April, what do you relish about that experience getting to go back? What's is special about that week being a past champion?

FRED COUPLES: Yeah, it's kind of like the Champions TOUR. I say I want to play 10 to 12 times and get off to rushes and I like to practice really hard so I can compete; then my back just doesn't last.

So after this tournament I believe I have almost a month off and I'm going to try and play Newport, The Gallery. So it's not like I need to play every day to be ready for Augusta. I need to drive it really well. I don't drive it nearly as far anymore.

But it's a special feeling. Last year should I have played? I don't know. I had a bunch of cortisone shots. To be honest with you, besides shedding a few tears down the seventh I couldn't even walk. I broke 80 that day and I played pretty darn well.

So I'm looking forward to it. I really think if I get there and I'm feeling okay I can compete with this cut everyone talks about. I can't compete with the Jon Rahms and a the Koepkas and Schefflers and Schauffeles and Cantlays, but I can compete with that cut number. That for me is a goal.

Out here it's more competing to maybe work my way in the last group or the second to the last group and then, hey, a hot Sunday anything can happen. Everyone is so good now. People just the other day says there are so many young guys. It's not like when I played. I was a young guy, too. I couldn't compete with these guys.

Most of them were late 30s, early 40s. That was when I was 21, 22. Now they're 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 years old and they're all knocking on the door winning and incredible players.

Q. Bernie's last year at Augusta.

FRED COUPLES: Right.

Q. Are you looking down that...

FRED COUPLES: Well, I might be there too. I have to sit down with Fred Ridley. I'm 65. I've missed a couple, so I'm going th throw in there, hey, Fred my back went out a few years ago.

It'll being great with Bernhard were he's a guy that can break the record I have as the oldest guy to make the cut. He's such a competitor and he plays well there.

But he'll tell that you everything has got to go really, really well. I mean, now I have woods anyway so I can say I'm hitting woods.

But two, three years ago I rarely hit a 7- or 8-iron to any holes. Maybe No. 3. So we got to really maneuver the ball around and putt well. If anyone can do it, he can.

I just feel like the way I play at Augusta, I still have a shot, too.