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Greg Hardwig
Naples Daily News
Fred Couples and Adam Scott are the sexy pick to contend for The Franklin Templeton Shootout title.
And it's not because of their looks, although the galleries following the twosome today at Tiburon Golf Club may have a different opinion.
"Be still my heart, there goes Fred Couples," an older female spectator said, a reporter relayed to Couples during his media session on Thursday.
 | | Scott is making his second Shootout appearance this week at Tiburón. |
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"I hear that all the time when he walks by too," Scott said with a chuckle.
When the golfers' hearts start beating fast coming down to the wire on Sunday, many expect Couples and Scott to be right there.
Hank Kuehne and Jeff Sluman have shown the past two years that a long-hitter off the tee and an accurate iron player make a great combination, winning two titles. So Couples' length and Scott's accuracy make another perfect pair.
"On paper, you have to think Freddie and Adam have a particularly strong team and you look at Fred Funk and Jason Gore have simi lar strengths to what Hank and I bring to the table," Sluman says.
"I think it's the toughest one to pick this year," says tournament founder Greg Norman, who will play with good friend Steve Elkington. "There's so many good teams, well-balanced teams. It's not necessarily the two best players playing together. It's the balance of the teams."
Couples and Scott have that -- and they both happen to be two very good players on opposite ends of their respective careers.
Couples, 46, had one of his best seasons in recent years, finishing 38th on the money list and making the putt to win The Presidents Cup as he constantly manages a balky back that's nagged him for years.
His goal for next year? Qualify for the Ryder Cup.
"I am going to do everything I can to make the Ryder Cup team," he says. "Definitely, you have to play more to make that team, and that's my goal."
| Merrill Lynch Shootout | | Fast Facts | | When: | Nov. 9-13 |
| Where: | Tiburón Golf Club, Naples |
| Purse: | $2.6 million |
| Pairings: | Greg Norman & Steve Elkington, Hank Kuehne & Jeff Sluman, John Daly & Tim Herron, Fred Couples & Adam Scott, Mark O'Meara & Nick Price, Ryan Moore & Jesper Parnevik, Fred Funk & Jason Gore, Peter Jacobsen & Scott McCarron, Kirk Triplett & Jay Haas, John Huston & Kenny Perry, Paul Azinger & Olin Browne. |
| Tickets: | 1-888-66-SHARK |
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Meanwhile, Scott, the 25-year-old Australian, is still finding his way a little -- but having quite a bit of success while doing it. He won The Players Championship last year and was 15th on the money list this year. But he couldn't win this year, mainly because he was 141st in putting. At this stage of his career, Scott, who has two PGA Tour wins and has won overseas, is simply looking at winning tournaments and getting that first major at some point.
"I haven't really gotten close in a major yet, but I don't think it's that far away," Scott says. "I really believe I can win one. It's a matter of time."
That time came for Couples when he was 32 and won the 1992 Masters during a stretch of eight tournament wins in five years, including three in 1992.
When Couples has been able to hit a golf ball with a healthy -- or healthy enough -- back, he still can reach the level he achieved 10 or 15 years ago, just not as consistently. Couples quarreled with that reality at first.
"If I can play long enough, I feel like I'm good enough that I can get nice little stretches," he says.
"The only thing I really miss is not being in the mix more; that's not now, that was four or five, six years ago when I felt like being 39 or 40 is not an old age in golf.
"I just physically couldn't have these long runs.
When you get used to doing it -- not saying I won 100 tournaments -- but it's fun to be in the last group on Saturday and Sunday. When you're not in there, then it gets a little disappointing, a little frustrating, but at no time did I ever think that I was going to be away from golf."
Or away from his loyal fan base. Couples admits he likes the big crowds, whether they're necessarily following him or not -- "I always say it's a lot more fun playing mediocre golf in front of a couple thousand people than playing really good golf in front of 30 people," he says. And Couples sees the same kind of following for Scott.
"When he's 47, which is a long time from now, he'll come in here and answer the same questions," Couples says. "He's got a huge fan base. I don't think he realizes it or pays any attention to it. He just goes to the course and people follow him because he's so good, nice looking, is well-spoken, doesn't cause any problems, so people follow that."
And their hearts may skip a beat along the way.
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