Couples wins Senior Players in a playoff

Harrison, NY – It took 19 years, a two-hour weather delay, a hole playoff for Fred Couples to finally get his second major championship.

Couples defeated John Cook with a birdie on the third extra hole Sunday to win the Senior Players Championship.

This was Couples' first major on the Champions Tour and his only major victory on the PGA Tour came at the 1992 Masters.

With bad weather forecast for Sunday, the final-round tee times were moved up to the morning, but a storm still caused a nearly two-hour weather delay. When Couples and Cook finally finished, a tornado warning was in effect in Westchester county.

Couples underwent a procedure on his always ailing back in Germany and had to get tour approval for it so it didn't violate the drug policy. He said it worked well, but late in the final round, Couples balky back flared up on him.

He's had to endure questions all week about his decision as U.S. Presidents Cup captain to possibly bring Tiger Woods as one of his picks, despite the poor season Woods had.

But it's all worth it for Couples.

The victory was his fifth on the Champions Tour, but his first this season.

Couples shot an even-par 71 on Sunday to join Cook, who had a one-under 70 at Westchester Country Club, at 11-under 273.

Peter Senior carded an even-par 71 and missed the playoff by a stroke at minus-10. Tradition winner Tom Lehman posted a three-under 68 for fourth at nine-under 275, while last year's winner Mark O'Meara shot a two-under 69, which got him to minus-eight.

MORE TO FOLLOW.