Robert

Gamez

The 48-year-old Couch has one Tour win on his resume, the 2006 Zurich Classic, where he opened with back-to-back rounds of 70 to make the cut on the number. He grabbed the 54-hole lead with an 8-under 64 in blustery conditions and posted a final-round 65 that included a 12-foot bogey putt on No. 17. But he earned the win thanks to a 54-foot, chip-in par on 18 after a difficult bunker shot from behind the green left him lying three in the greenside rough. Couch finished at 19-under 269 to beat Charles Howell III and Fred Funk by a stroke. From 2013-17, he didn’t make a PGA Tour start due to a back injury and made five starts in 2018 on a Major Medical Extension (T-68 at 2018 Valspar, two WDs, two missed cuts) before losing his card. He’s made six starts over the next three season, making three cuts in 2019. The Puerto Rico Open has been his only Tour start the last two seasons. Couch was T-35 in 2020 and missed the cut last year.

The 52-year-old had a rough day at the office. Gamez landed just three greens in regulation and lost 4.054 strokes putting, swallowing a trio of three-jacks on his way around Bay Hill. That resulted in a birdie-free round that included five bogeys, seven double bogeys, and a triple. Gamez was grandfathered into the field this week as a pre-2000 API winner. His inclusion in the field did not bump anyone else out. At press time there is no official reason for his DQ but it’s safe to assume he either failed to sign his scorecard after the round or signed an incorrect scorecard.

He went out in 1-over-par 37 in today’s four-spotter but won’t need an exemption via the open qualifier. Gamez was the ninth alternate when the field was released on Friday afternoon. He gained entry on a sponsor exemption this morning. He’s 0-for-2 at this event and 0-for-1 (Mayakoba) in 2012.

Gamez started the week as the 10th alternate. He moved up to ninth when Mark Calcavecchia withdrew as an alternate, and then gained entry when Brett Quigley withdrew today. Gamez missed the cut on the Nationwide Tour last week. The 43-year-old has cashed just four times in his last 28 starts on the PGA TOUR.

Gamez was the first alternate when the field was published on Friday. He gained in this morning’s wave of four withdrawals. He’s 1-for-3 this season with a T58 in Puerto Rico. Stuck in the Past Champions category, he has zero fantasy value.

Gamez was the ninth alternate at the start of the week. He gained entry when eight golfers withdrew this morning. He’s 2-for-5 on the PGA TOUR this year with no top 55s. The last time he played in Memphis, he missed the cut in 2008.

None have been as rewarding as his first, winning the event in 1990. In fact, success here has been scant since that win, missing 15 cuts in his 23 starts with only one other top 10. His trend is equally concerning, missing the cut in this event every year since 2008.

He normally falls apart in at least one round each week, but he was nails in all four rounds in Texas. He shot 62-68-68-64 for his first win in 15 years, which marks the longest drought between tour wins in history.

He’s trailed by Jeff Maggert, John Senden and Woody Austin, who are all one-shot back. However, things are likely to change on Friday.

“It was definitely unexpected,” Gamez’ manager, Paul Graham of Empire Sports Management said. The 45-year-old golfer struggled breathing on the weekend. He hasn’t played the TOUR full-time since losing his card following the 2008 season. In his only start this season, he missed the cut at Bay Hill, site of his second victory when he eagled the 72nd hole to clip Greg Norman by one stroke. Because he’s played sparingly on Past Champion status, we will leave Gamez off our Injury Report.