Couples Leads the 1st Round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational

As good as this sounds, it would be even sweeter to hear on Sunday. In case you haven't guessed, I'm an unabashed Fred Couples fan. His seemingly effortless swing has been the pinnacle for me for a long time. Throw in the fact that he appears to be a genuinely good guy and you have someone for the average golfer to follow. Showing signs of the "Boom Boom" of old, Fred fashioned a smooth 65 to finish in a tie with J.J. Henry at six under 65. Notables one stroke back include Tom Lehman, Vijay Singh, and Lee Westwood. Fred had gained notoriety of late for being named President's Cup captain in 2009. I think it's a superb choice and it's equally great to see him perform well in a tournament. Career long back problems have prevented us from seeing how great Fred could really be. Let's hope the back doesn't let him down this week.

The worm problem at Bay Hill doesn't seem to be affecting play. Most players claimed that the damage was noticeable, but nothing that couldn't be handled by making some adjustments. That explains the cans of "Worm Be Gone" I noticed most caddies carrying.

Til' next,