Fred Couples Wins Again - Jim Rutledge Cashes Win

With a closing score of 3-under 67, Victoria, B.C.'s Jim Rutledge vaulted up the leaderboard into a tie for 13th place and earned $29,600.

Couples' final round of 62 broke the previous day's course record of 63 set by Corey Pavin and his 21-under 195 earned him $240,000, raising his yearly winnings to $931,000 in four starts.

"It was an unbelievable day," said Couples who made five birdies in a row from the second through sixth hole. "The first six or seven holes, there was an eagle, birdies and putts going in from everywhere."

This was Couples' 12th consecutive round in the 60s, moving him to one behind Hale Irwin's record of 13 set in 1999.

In his first start as a member of the +50 senior circuit, Couples finished second, a shot behind winner Tom Watson in the Mitsubishi Electric Championship in Hawaii. His first victory came February 14 when he won the ACE Group Championship in Florida. He skipped the Allianz tournament won by Bernhard Langer February 21, then last week captured the Toshiba Classic in California.

Couples returns to the PGA regular TOUR next week to play at the Shell Houston Open and then goes to Augusta, Georgia for the Masters the following week.

Rutledge, who tied for 40th (Rod Spittle of Niagara Falls, Ont. T47) at the Allianz five weeks ago, is expected to attempt to Monday-qualify for the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am event in Florida in mid-April.

The history of Rutledge and Couples playing in the same tournaments goes back 34 years to when both were juniors and Couples won the 1978 BC Junior Championship at North Vancouver's Seymour Golf Club, preventing Rutledge from defending his 1977 junior title. The following season at Vancouver's Marine Drive Couples won the 1979 B.C. Amateur with Rutledge in the field.

The Cap Cana Championship
Cap Cana, Dominican Republic
Punta Espada Golf Club, Par 72

Fred Couples 1 67 66 62 195 $ 240,000.00
Corey Pavin 2 68 63 66 197 $ 140,800.00
Russ Cochran 3 68 67 67 202 $ 115,200.00
Tom Pernice, Jr. T4 68 68 67 203 $ 78,933.34
Bernhard Langer T4 71 65 67 203 $ 78,933.33
Nick Price T4 66 66 71 203 $ 78,933.33
Larry Mize 7 67 66 71 204 $ 57,600.00
Olin Browne 8 67 70 68 205 $ 51,200.00
David Peoples 9 67 70 69 206 $ 44,800.00
Brad Bryant T10 70 70 68 208 $ 38,400.00
Jeff Sluman T10 69 70 69 208 $ 38,400.00
Craig Stadler T10 70 69 69 208 $ 38,400.00
Tommy Armour III T13 71 67 71 209 $ 29,600.00
Dan Forsman T13 69 73 67 209 $ 29,600.00
Sandy Lyle T13 70 72 67 209 $ 29,600.00
Jim Rutledge T13 72 70 67 209 $ 29,600.00