GOLF ROUNDUP : Couples, Love Continue Reign Over World Cup for Third Year

The U.S. team of Fred Couples and Davis Love set a tournament record by winning the World Cup of Golf for the third consecutive time Sunday at Dorado, Puerto Rico.

Their victory broke a mark set twice over a five-year period by Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer, winners for the United States in 1963-64 and 1966-67.

The 14-stroke winning margin equaled a record set by Ben Hogan and Sam Snead in 1956 and the four-round total of 40 under par at the Hyatt Dorado Beach East Course also set a tournament record.

“Having our names up there with Nicklaus and Palmer is something special,” said Couples, after shooting a 69, his fourth sub-70 round of the tournament.

Couples’ 72-hole score of 265, 23 under, earned him his first World Cup individual title, an additional $100,000 and another tournament record. He finished second to Bernhard Langer last year and third to Brett Ogle in 1992.

He and Love will share $300,000 for winning the team competition.

Zimbabwe’s Mark McNulty and Tony Johnstone, who began the day nine strokes behind the Americans, didn’t mount a run Sunday, playing themselves out of contention by the turn.

Couples and Love coasted from there.

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Ray Floyd came from six shots back in regulation play, then beat Jim Albus in the fifth extra hole in the season-ending Senior Tour Championship at Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Floyd rolled in his winner on a 15-foot downhill birdie putt on the 18th hole at the Dunes Club.

The victory was worth $240,000 and lifted Floyd into second place on the final money-winning list at $1,382,762.