Age means nothing to these two veteran contenders
By Helen Ross, PGATOUR.COM Chief of Correspondents
LOS ANGELES -- Mark Calcavecchia's daughter Britney, who is now attending college at Long Beach State, wasn't even born when her father won the 1989 Nissan Los Angeles Open.
And Fred Couples had won twice at Riviera before the birth of Ryo Ishikawa, the 17-year-old Japanese phenom who made his PGA TOUR debut there this week.
Yet Couples, who turns 50 in October, and Calcavecchia, who is four months away from his 49th birthday, are once again among the leaders at the Northern Trust Open.
Couples, in fact, will be playing in the final threesome on Sunday after a 65 moved him to 11 under and five strokes off the lead being held by Phil Mickelson. Calcavecchia, meanwhile, shot a third-round 64 and is tied with three others at 10 under.
Two of the TOUR's elder statesmen realize that age is a relative thing, though.
"When you are 29 you think someone who's 48 is borderline ancient," Calcavecchia said. "When you're young, 48 is near death. But now I can't get to 50 fast enough."
Mickelson, who shot 62 Saturday, wasn't surprised to find Couples in the final group given his success in Los Angeles. The Presidents Cup captain has played at Riviera every year but one since 1982, and he has 10 other top 10s in addition to wins in 1990 and '92.
"I remember watching him and Davis go head to head here a bunch," Mickelson said. "He's played well here ... countless times. I love Freddie, he's fun. His caddie, Joe (LaCava) is as entertaining as anybody out on TOUR. It makes for a fun day."
The 38-year-old Mickelson, who pulled away Saturday with a back-nine 30, merely smiled when someone pointed out Couples' advancing age. Earlier, Couples had joked that "I am on my last leg."
"He looks young," Mickelson said. "Although he's been out here for a while, he still hits the ball so hard, and long, and his swing is so smooth and fluid that it just doesn't look like he's this old."
Riviera is a shot-maker's course that sets up well for a variety of styles of play. Couples, who completed his 100th competitive round Saturday on the course he says is one of his two favorites, along with Augusta National, feels his experience is the key.
"I think it's a phenomenal course," Couples said. "You can play really, really well and shoot 70, and you can come out the next day and shoot 65 or 66 and do the same thing.
"It's just because the greens are so small. When you hit a really good iron, you're going to be 10 or 12 feet."
Couples' steady iron play has contributed to his success. At the same time, maybe he plays so well on the George C. Thomas gem because he has such a comfort zone here.
"I can walk around there and not pay any attention at all, and maybe that's why I'm doing well; because I've played the course so many times," Couples said.
Calcavecchia hasn't played Riviera anywhere near as much as Couples has and Saturday's 64 was his best round in those 11 starts. He's only had one other top 10 in Los Angeles, but Calc's a streaky player who can ride a hot hand.
Not to mention, Calcavecchia is coming off a tie for fourth at last week's AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. He's not a fan of the long rounds that always accompany the star-studded event, so he was playing there for the first time in five years.
"So you know, to shoot 9-under par there, and tie for fourth, that was a surprise," Calcavecchia said. "I kind of came down here thinking, I putted pretty good actually last week. I thought if I can continue to hit it halfway decent and make some putts, I could have a good tournament. That's about all I thought of it.
"I needed to play decent yesterday afternoon just to make the cut, and got off to that great start today. So really after the first couple of holes today, I was kind of in the mode of being aggressive and shooting a good, low score today and kind of getting back in the hunt, so to speak."
Couples, who added Pebble Beach to his schedule when he got to partner with Justin Timberlake, is playing for his fifth straight week. He missed the cut, though, so he's rested, and Couples is looking forward to the challenge on Sunday.
"I had a lot of rest and I feel good. I have one more day and then I'll probably have a month off," Couples said. "So tomorrow ... to have a shot at winning is going to be a lot of fun. I don't know if they are still going under par or what's leading.
"But I know I'm going to need another 65 or 66 to have a shot at winning, I'm sure."
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