By the numbers: Fred Couples’ 60 is lowest final round in PGA TOUR Champions history

Fred Couples carded a final-round, 12-under 60 to win last week’s SAS Championship by six strokes.

It was so impressive, 82-time PGA TOUR winner Tiger Woods tuned in.

“I think he was on 17 or 18; Tiger called me, and he’s like, ‘Are you watching this?’” Justin Thomas said this week. “I turned it on and watched him stripe it off 18 tee, stiff the iron shot and make the putt.”

Couples made birdie on his final five holes of the front nine Sunday at Prestonwood CC in the Raleigh-Durham metroplex. He recorded back-to-back pars after the turn, then closed with seven consecutive birdies to cement his place in PGA TOUR Champions lore.

Couples, 63, is the first player to shoot his age or better in the final round to win on PGA TOUR Champions. His 60 is also the lowest final round in PGA TOUR Champions history.

Here’s a look at notable stats around Couples’ winning round at the SAS Championship.

37: Couples became the 37th player age 60 or older to win on PGA TOUR Champions

• Of those 37 players, Couples is the only one to shoot his age or better in the final round
• Note: Bernhard Langer shot his age (64) in the first round of the 2022 Chubb Classic en route to victory

16: Couples recorded the 16th round of 60 or better in PGA TOUR Champions history

• It is the 15th round of 60
• Kevin Sutherland holds the 18-hole scoring record (59 at the 2014 DICK’S Sporting Goods Open)

Of those 16 rounds of 60 or better, Couples is the second player on the list to shoot his age or better.

• 61-year-old Walter Morgan shot 60 in the second round of the 2002 Canadian Senior Open, en route to finishing T2

1: Couples is the only player to shoot 60 in the final round.

• All previous 15 instances had happened in the first or second round
• Couples is the oldest to shoot a round of 60 or better
• Couples matched the second-lowest score in relation to par (12 under); Kevin Sutherland was 13-under for his 59
• Couples matched the most birdies (12) among the rounds of 60 or better

The final-round scoring average at the SAS Championship was 70.831. Couples beat it by nearly 11 strokes. Just add it to the legend of Boom Boom.

“I texted him after the tournament and he told me, ‘Nobody putts like me, Kiz,’” Kevin Kisner laughed this week.

“He obviously gives this ‘cool’ persona, and it looks like everything is always ‘chill,’ but man, he’s got a massive fire that burns,” added Billy Horschel. “To see him like that, I loved it. I sent him a text after he won: ‘Not bad playing for someone your age. That was impressive. Great win.’”