Fred Couples Designates Presidents Cup Funds to
The First Tee of Greater Seattle

Fred Couples poses with Seattle participant Lindsay Chinn and Greg Norman
at The First Tee Congressional Breakfast

Seattle native Fred Couples, a 15-time PGA TOUR event winner, designated a check in the amount of $20,000 to The First Tee of Greater Seattle.  The contribution is a portion of the charitable proceeds generated from the 2009 Presidents Cup at Harding Park Golf Course in San Francisco, at which Couples served as captain of the U.S. Team. 

“The First Tee of Greater Seattle is honored, thrilled and deeply thankful to be a recipient of Mr. Couples’ generosity,” remarked Heidi Wills, Executive Director. Calling him a role model for the program’s young golfers, she said Couples exemplifies The First Tee core values of respect, confidence and sportsmanship. She also noted he epitomizes another core value, perseverance, with his remarkable achievements while enduring recurring back problems. 

“This funding comes at a crucial time for our nonprofit organization and will allow us to expose children to golf who might not otherwise have the opportunity,” Wills emphasized.  The organization is headquartered at Seattle’s Jefferson Park Municipal Golf Course, where Couples played during his early years of golf.  

Couples grew up in Seattle where his father worked in the City of Seattle’s Parks and Recreation Department. As a youngster, “Freddie” caddied for a top local player who gave Couples his first set of golf clubs. He became a top junior and amateur player in the region, then played on the golf team at the University of Houston. 

Since turning pro in 1980 he has amassed 15 Tour victories and numerous awards and nicknames. In 1992, he won The Masters and was named PGA Player of the Year, PGA TOUR Player of the Year and won the Vardon Trophy (for low scoring average). He was a member of the U.S. Presidents Cup Team four times and will make his debut on the Champions Tour this year. 

Among his nicknames are “Boom Boom” for his booming drives, “Freddie Cool” because of his easygoing temperament, “Mr. Skins” because of his dominance in Skins Games, and "King of the Silly Season," in reference to the made-for-TV events staged in the winter that are sometimes known as the "silly season.”

 The Presidents Cup

The Presidents Cup is a unique golf event in that there is no purse or prize money. Players are not personally paid for their participation, but each competitor, captain and captain’s assistant is allowed to allocate funds to chosen charitable causes.  

More than $4.2 million was distributed to charitable causes from the 2009 event, a record-tying amount for the prestigious competition and part of the nearly $22 million raised since inception of The Presidents Cup event in 1994.  

The Presidents Cup, a team match play competition features 24 of the world’s top golfers – 12 from the U.S. and 12 from around the world, excluding Europe. It is held every two years, alternating since 1996 between U.S. and international venues.