FRED COUPLES put on a master class at the US Champions Tour 2011 AT&T Championship to street the field by seven strokes on the TPC San Antonio Canyons Course in Texas.

Couples followed up his opening rounds of 65 and a course record 62 with a bogey-free 6-under 66 to finish at a total of 23-under – the largest winning margin on the tour this year.

It was his 6th win in two seasons on the over 50’s circuit and his second since undergoing what has been termed “non-traditional” treatments on his back in Germany earlier in the year.

Couples has suffered from nagging back issues for years and the German treatments have allowed him to come back and play an unprecedented (in recent times) three tournaments in a row and to do some extensive work on his game.

“I haven’t had a seven-shot lead since ’92 or ’90 or whenever the heck it was,” Couples said.

“I probably may never ever get another one. It’s a weird feeling, and I was kind of unnerved (on the front side). But once we got to the back nine I played much better and I pulled away to a lead that was plenty.”

Mark Calcavecchia shot a 66 to finish second while Charles Schwab Cup points leader Tom Lehman and John Cook tied for third at 14 under after closing with 66s.

Peter Senior fifth and still has Charles Schwab Cup hopes

Australia’s Peter Senior had yet another top 10 finish to retain his third spot on the season long points table.

Senior had a bogey-free, 13-birdie tournament and carded rounds of 69, 67 and 67 to finish alone in fifth spot on 13-under.

The 51 year old has had an ultra consistent year with three runners-up finishes, one third placing and 12 top tens.

What he hasn’t had is a win and that is probably what he will need to take the Cup when the top 30 on the tour battle it out in the final event for the year in two weeks time.

That event is the 2011 Charles Schwab Cup Championship which will take place at the TPC Harding Park Golf Club in San Francisco with a prize purse of US$2,500,000.