The 11,000-square-foot, two-story Monterey Colonial was built in 1939 and sits on 5 acres with sweeping ocean and mountain views. The main house has nine bedrooms and 7 1/2 bathrooms. There is also a 2,300-square-foot guesthouse with three bedrooms and two baths and a full kitchen.

The full listing from Realtor.com can be seen here.

And if you end up buying it, make sure you tell the Realtor you found it on the Fred Couples Homepage.

Fred shot a final round 69, keeping him where he started the day – third place. Mickelson struggled all day and it appeared that despite Couples’ inability to make a putt, he would still catch Mickelson. However, birdies at the 16th and 17th by Mickelson moved him one shot clear of second place finisher Steve Stricker. Couples needed birdie at the 18th in order to force a playoff, however an errant approach led to bogey.

Couples also learned earlier this week that his ex-wife, Thais Baker, had died of breast cancer. Baker had battled breast cancer several years ago and Fred had dedicated a good portion of time helping her through that battle. His emotional win in Houston in 2003 underscoring their relationship at the time. More recently, the two had separated. Fred gave an encouraging “Hello, Ollie” after an interview Saturday to her son Oliver, who had caddied for Fred during the par 3 tournament in the Masters in years past.

After the round, Fred gave the following interview. A large photo gallery of the week’s action is here.

FRED COUPLES: I thought it was going to break to the right. I just couldn’t make another one at 18. You know, I was just trying to hit it right around the tree. I didn’t really aim for the green and cut it. And I just hit it right in the tree.

You know, if I had hit solid and pushed it, it still may have caught the tree. But I was just trying to go right along with it. It didn’t seem that hard. It was a perfect 7-iron.

And, you know, there’s so much commotion. I’m hitting over cameramen because of the angle, and I think I just got a little loose. I hit a bad shot, and I just didn’t give myself a chance.

Q. Were you still feeling good about being in that position?

FRED COUPLES: Oh, yeah. It was a tough shot on 12. Yesterday, I hit it up against the fence. You know, today I didn’t get the back swing and I blocked it.

Other than that, I hit most of the greens and had pretty simple birdie putts inside the hole.

Q. (Indiscernible).

FRED COUPLES: Nobody made the putts. I sure didn’t make one. But the greens were good. It was just hard. Everyone was bunched around, you know, 12, 13, 14 under. And Phil made a couple of bogies to give him a shot, and then he birdied the hole and made the birdie. But it would have been nice to at least have it on the green with a three putt for 70 feet, instead of shanking it.

But, I could have driven it in a better spot. I just on the second shot I hit everything fairly straight, and I wanted to hit it straight. All I had to do was pass the tree. You know, it was kind of a simple deal. I needed a nice shot underneath.

But, really, it came down to Phil not playing that well. And then me, the same old crap. I shouldn’t say — I mean every time I have a chance to play well, I seem to play okay.

If Phil had been okay on the front nine, he would have been 5 under and I would have been 3 over. But he drew well around the greens, and I just seemed to be very mediocre.

Not that I’m feeling horrible. I just don’t make every three, four for par. But you can’t catch up on Sunday. There are not enough holes.

Q. (Indiscernible)?

FRED COUPLES: No, because there were so many holes, 9, 10, 11. I hit the pin on 9, or thought I could get to it. Then when Phil bogeyed, he bogeyed 8. He bogeyed 7 to get to a couple over or 1 over maybe. I don’t know. Eagled one.

I just was hanging around. I knew he was going to pull it off at some time, but he waited until the last couple of holes.

But, no, you know, straight up for putt for birdie on number 7. I did hit a good putt on 8 to get to the hole. On 11, I hit it close and I was within a couple of strokes.

Q. Can you talk about Phil coming back?

FRED COUPLES: Way to stay. He’s fun to play with, and he’s a true competitor, and he makes the game seem easy. When he plays bad he still gets it.

I mean, he didn’t play well today, I don’t even know what he shot. 1 over, is that what he shot? I just looked at the under par. So, he at one time was 3 over for the round. So I mean, you know. He had a couple on 17. And a beautiful 9-iron on 16.

So he was never going to lose the tournament. He was going to have a shot at winning the way he was playing. If he had played well, he would have won by 5 shots, but he didn’t.

He knows what he has to do, and you know, playing poorly after 15 holes, he birdies 16, 17, and had a beautiful drive on 17. Hit a shot where he needed to. And made a nice six or seven footer to win.

Q. Could you sense any frustration from him on the front nine?

FRED COUPLES: No, no. I think he’s working on his game. It’s all the same. Just like you don’t want to show anyone anything. You can tell it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that he was struggling.

But, you know, a putt here or there would have kept him alive and he didn’t make any. Otherwise he would have been fine. He missed, I guess, 12, and then totally lifted out on 13, the par 3. But, you know, he’s not getting too close.

Couples has stated he will take a month off now and probably won’t be at another tournament until either Arnold Palmer’s tournament in late March, Houston the first of April of the Masters.

Couples shot a two-under 70, which dropped him from 17th, where he started the day, down to 24th. Couples had it to 4-under on the day, with the short par 4 15th (which he eagled in the third round) and the par 5 1th to go. Couples attempted to drive the green on the 15th, but his drive went right. He was unable to get up and down. He three putted the par 5 16th, leading to a bogey. Couples picked up another bogey at the 18th when he hit his approach into the water.

Fred finished eight shots behind winner Marc Turnesa.

Couples PGA Tour season is likely over. Couples will play in the ADT Skills Challenge in Florida the first of November and the World Challenge (Tiger’s tournament) in California just before Christmas.

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LOWERING THE BOOM-BOOM: The four-man field for the LG Skins Game was announced last week, and the biggest news was who would not be playing at Indian Wells over Thanksgiving weekend.

How can there be a Skins Game without Fred Couples?

Couples is playfully known as the “King of the Silly Season,” especially the Skins Game. He has played 14 times, captured 95 skins and earned over US$4.2 million, more than he has made playing in the majors.

Instead, defending champion and Calgary native Stephen Ames will join Phil Mickelson, K.J. Choi and Rocco Mediate.

“I’m glad I’m not playing,” Couples said at the Deutsche Bank Championship, where he missed the cut. “I’m done with golf. I was feeling so good, but I think I’m playing too much. This may be my last real event.”

Couples did not express disappointment, but a tinge was evident. He said he was hopeful of playing again, but he was pleased for Choi and Mediate. And no, Couples did not ask for an exemption.

“I can’t be picked every year,” he said. “I played enough. And it was fun.”

Likely, this was frustration after finishing in last place after the first two rounds of the Deutsche Bank Championship, but obviously Fred’s game has slipped in the last few weeks. He is still scheduled to play at the Mercedes-Benz Championship in Europe next week.

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Fred finished nine shots behind winner Chez Reavie. The final round 68 was Fred’s best round of the week.

Below is a video shot by OttowaGolfBlog at YouTube of Fred and Mike Weir on the range.

Also, rumor has it from Fred Fan djeast that Golf Central is reporting that a special exemption has been extended to Fred Couples for the PGA Championship. More will be posted when available.

FRED COUPLES says Scotland may have seen the last of him as a dodgy back has forced him to retire from competing outside the United States.

The former Masters champion, 48, has been a popular figure at the Barclays Scottish Open.

On his last trip two years ago he even stayed around all week to soak up the atmosphere – despite having pulled out before the tournament when his back flared up.

But Couples now won’t travel across the Atlantic for any more tournaments with the only possible exception being The Open.

He said: “My travelling days are pretty much done. I would love to come back to places like Loch Lomond but it’s just too much now.

“If I qualify for The Open I might go across but that would be the limit.

“It’s a shame because the last time I was at Loch Lomond I had a ball. I never played because of my back but itwas the best weather ever. I loved it.

“I haven’t been on a transatlantic flight since then. In the past I enjoyed going to events in Germany and Asia.

But it’s just too much strain on my back now.”

The important caveat there is the qualifying for the Open, which is good news.

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Thanks to Fred fan TearDrop and Fantastic Fred Fan Andy for the finds.

Toronto, ON – Less than a month ago it was announced that golf legends Fred Couples and Greg Norman would captain the U.S. and International teams for the 2009 Presidents Cup, but this summer, they will square off in another international competition, the 2008 TELUS World Skins Game at Predator Ridge Golf Resort, located in the heart of British Columbia’s famous Okanagan Valley.

The TELUS World Skins Game returns to Predator Ridge, the site of the 2000 Skins Game, on Monday, June 16 and Tuesday, June 17 and will feature five of the top names in golf, each representing a different country. Couples will represent the United States in the event, with Greg Norman representing his native Australia.

“We are excited to bring the TELUS World Skins Game in support of BC Children’s Hospital back to Predator Ridge and the beautiful Okanagan Valley,” said Steve Podborski, executive director of TELUS Sport Marketing. “Each year, the TELUS World Skins Game brings many of the biggest names in golf together in support of worthwhile charities and this year it’s all for the kids at BC Children’s Hospital. Presidents Cup captains Fred Couples and Greg Norman going head-to-head this year at the TELUS World Skins Game will be a thrill to watch.”

Couples, a fifteen-time winner on the PGA Tour, including the 1992 Masters, is one of the most popular players in the history of professional golf and is certainly no stranger to fans of the TELUS World Skins Game. In his eight appearances in the Canadian golf event, Couples has won 62 Skins for $1,110,000, the most of any player in the event’s history. He has also won more than $4 Million in the U.S. Skins Game over the years, giving him the well-earned nickname “King of the Skins”.

“I’m very much looking forward to returning to the TELUS World Skins Game,” said Couples. “In fact, I have not participated in the event since the last time it was held at Predator Ridge in 2000, so it will be a nice chance to play again in front of the Canadian fans. They’ve always had tremendous fields for this event, and I’m looking forward to going up against the other players, including Greg.”

The 2008 TELUS World Skins Game will represent Norman’s third time playing in the event. He won the event his first time out in 1997 with 13 Skins for $275,000 at Whistler’s Nicklaus North Golf Club, interrupting the early success enjoyed by Fred Couples who had won the event three of the previous four years.

Tickets for the 2008 TELUS World Skins Game will go on sale Monday, April 14 at 10 a.m. (PST) and can be purchased by calling 1-866-60SKIN1 (1-866-607-5461) or by visiting www.telusskins.com. The remaining three players in the 2008 field will be announced over the next two weeks prior to tickets going on sale.

“I have enjoyed my previous opportunities to come to Canada to play in the Skins Game and wish to thank TELUS for the invitation to play in this year’s event,” said Norman. “Given our appointments as Presidents Cup Captains, I look forward to spending time with Fred, and starting what I’m sure will be a spirited competition.”

The TELUS World Skins Game is a highlight of the Canadian summer sporting schedule, not only for Canadian golf fans, but for the local community as well. TELUS partners each year for the event with a charitable organization that aligns with TELUS’ commitment to “give where we live”. The 2008 TELUS World Skins charity partner will be BC Children’s Hospital Foundation, which supports the provision of expert care for the province’s most seriously ill or injured children.

Predator Ridge is consistently ranked as one of the finest golf courses in the country and is one of only two public golf courses in Western Canada to be named in Score Magazine’s Canadian Top 25 for the past eight years. Opened in 1991, Predator Ridge features an incredible 27-hole layout along with a world-class surrounding community. The resort also boasts swimming pools, AVEDA™ spa, fitness centre, restaurants and a new golf course in the making.

Speaking for Predator Ridge, Randy Zien said “we are honoured and proud to be able to bring the TELUS World Skins Game back to Predator. Our staff, our homeowners, and the entire community are ready to deliver the best Skins Game ever.”

The TELUS Skins Game, an event owned and operated by IMG in Canada for 16 years, has included many of the biggest names in the game including Jack Nicklaus, Sergio Garcia, Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson.

About TELUS

TELUS (TSX: T, T.A; NYSE: TU) is a leading national telecommunications company in Canada, with $9.1 billion of annual revenue and 11.1 million customer connections including 5.6 million wireless subscribers, 4.4 million wireline network access lines and 1.2 million Internet subscribers. TELUS provides a wide range of communications products and services including data, Internet protocol (IP), voice, entertainment and video. Committed to being Canada’s premier corporate citizen, we give where we live. Since 2000, TELUS and our team members have contributed more than $113 million to charitable and not-for-profit organizations and volunteered more than 2.1 million hours of service to local communities. Eight TELUS Community Boards across Canada lead our local philanthropic initiatives. For more information about TELUS, please visit telus.com.

About IMG
IMG is the world’s premier sports, entertainment and media enterprise.

Operating in 30 countries, IMG’s diverse businesses include: consulting services; event ownership and management; fashion events and models representation; licensing; golf course design; and client representation in golf, tennis, broadcasting, speakers, European football, rugby, cricket, motor sports, coaching, Olympic sports and action sports.

IMG Academies are the world’s largest and most advanced multi-sport training and educational facilities, delivering world-class sports training experiences to more than 12,000 junior, collegiate, adult, and professional athletes each year.

IMG’s media and entertainment operations include content production subsidiaries Darlow Smithson Productions, Tiger Aspect Productions and Tigress. Globally, IMG produces and distributes more than 11,000 hours of sports, documentary, drama, comedy, entertainment, popular factual and children’s content annually. IMG also represents the broadcast rights to many of the world’s premier sporting events and has the world’s largest sports archive with more than 250,000 hours of footage.

Forstmann Little & Co. purchased IMG in 2004.

More information about IMG is available at www.imgworld.com.

About Predator Ridge Resort
Located in Vernon, Predator Ridge Resort Community is an exceptional place to vacation or call home. The 1,200-acre, award-winning development boasts miles of natural wooded preserves ideal for hiking and biking. Literally steps away is the namesake golf course, a 27-hole facility made up of three different courses that has ranked in Canada’s top 25 public golf courses for eight years running. A full-service clubhouse, golf academy, fitness centre, pools, an AVEDA™ spa and luxurious accommodation offer guests a variety of activities on the resort in addition to its convenient access to lakes, ski hills and wineries.

For more information please visit www.predatorridge.com

Here’s a quick clip taken a couple of days ago (11th Feb 08)of the filming of a scene for a Bridgestone ad in March.
Here the Indy car rips off the line as Fred Couples tees off.
In this bit is the race between the ball and the car to be driven by Stuart Appleby (he wishes I bet)
The ad will have many of Bridgestone’s PGA Tour players in it
This is Bridgestones first attenpt a cross promotion with Bridgestone tire division and the Golf division as one

This is Fred’s second time playing in the PODS Championship – his one other time appearing was in the first edition played in 2000 where he tied for 14th. Tomorrow’s tee time will be pushed back from his 1:00 PM start by at least 1/2 hour and more rain is in the forecast for tomorrow.

Doug Ferguson of the AP writes at length about Fred in his latest offering, including talk about his back.

“I feel good,” Couples said. “I played the four (tournaments), and then I went to see this guy in Waco. He said I looked better than he thought. Obviously, my goal is to play. The best I probably played was at Phoenix, and I missed the cut. And the other tournaments, I did pretty well. So I feel like I’m on track, and my goal is to really be ready for Augusta.”

The “guy in Waco” is John Patterson, a Texas back specialist whose clientele includes Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz and Houston Rockets guard Tracy McGrady.

Fred also talked briefly about the cut streak at the Masters.

“If the leaders are up here and the cuts are down here, I want to make sure I’m moving way up the ladder,” Couples said. “If I don’t, it will be very disappointing because I’m not there to play well. If I don’t play well and miss the cut, the streak is over, and I’ll be watching TV Saturday and Sunday. But it’s a nice thing. It’s not anything worldly.

“I’m not going to go down as the guy who made however many cuts in a row it is. I’m planning on playing well.”

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