Aaron Baddeley

Fred Couples birdied the first hole at Riviera Country Club on Sunday, making a five-footer and smiling. He birdied the second hole too, his sweetly soft chip from just off the green trickling in. The third? Birdie, an 18-foot putt dead center. The roars for Couples from the gallery, lined four- and five-deep and mostly all pulling for the 51-year-old with the bad back and the textbook swing, created a buzz at the Northern Trust Open, even in the morning chill. After his third birdie, Couples had taken the lead and for a moment seemed ready to make history.

Sometimes it's the things no one notices. Kevin Na , who attended Diamond Bar High School, started the final round of the Northern Trust Open on Sunday at Riviera Country Club tied with Fred Couples for second place, a shot behind Aaron Baddeley , the eventual winner. By the time Na, who was paired with Couples and Baddeley, reached the 18th hole, he was in third place (behind Baddeley and runner-up Vijay Singh ) and facing a seven-foot putt for par. Na made the putt to complete an even-par round of 71 and finished alone in third place.

Aaron Baddeley shot his way into a share of the third-round lead at the Chrysler Classic of Tucson with an eight-under 64 Saturday. He and Heath Slocum took different routes to reach 15-under 201. Baddeley, who began the round six strokes behind, carded eight birdies and no bogeys on a cool, gusty day. Slocum bogeyed the last hole and turned in a 70 the day after his 64 earned him a one-shot lead heading into the third round. Mike Heinen had a 65 to stay within a shot.

Fred Couples birdied the first hole at Riviera Country Club on Sunday, making a five-footer and smiling. He birdied the second hole too, his sweetly soft chip from just off the green trickling in. The third? Birdie, an 18-foot putt dead center. The roars for Couples from the gallery, lined four- and five-deep and mostly all pulling for the 51-year-old with the bad back and the textbook swing, created a buzz at the Northern Trust Open, even in the morning chill. After his third birdie, Couples had taken the lead and for a moment seemed ready to make history.

Aaron Baddeley, 18, won the Australian Open on Sunday to become the youngest champion in the tournament's 95-year history and the first amateur winner in 39 years. Baddeley closed with a three-under-par 69 for a two-stroke victory over fellow Australians Greg Norman and Nick O'Hern. "I thought I could win today," he said. "I played to the best of my ability and it was good enough. You dream about this."

Aaron Baddeley paid his dues. Now, the 21-year-old Australian wants to show he belongs among the best players in golf at the Sony Open. With birdies on three of his last five holes at windy Waialae Country Club, Baddeley polished off a six-under-par 64 to share the 36-hole lead with Retief Goosen. "I love being in the last group," Baddeley said. "It's where I want to be -- tied for the lead, and comfortable with my game." The pressure is nothing new.

Aaron Baddeley is 10 strokes behind leader Charles Howell III entering the final round of the Nissan Open and he will not be playing in the same group with Tiger Woods, but you can bet he will have a significant gallery today at Riviera Country Club. And don't be surprised if most of those following him are teenage girls. Baddeley is a 22-year-old Australian who could pass for the lead singer in a boy band.

Sometimes it's the things no one notices. Kevin Na , who attended Diamond Bar High School, started the final round of the Northern Trust Open on Sunday at Riviera Country Club tied with Fred Couples for second place, a shot behind Aaron Baddeley , the eventual winner. By the time Na, who was paired with Couples and Baddeley, reached the 18th hole, he was in third place (behind Baddeley and runner-up Vijay Singh ) and facing a seven-foot putt for par. Na made the putt to complete an even-par round of 71 and finished alone in third place.

Like any responsible father, Ron Baddeley is picking up the tab for his son's education. Tuition will run about $72,500 for the three-year accelerated program. A little less than Princeton, a bit more than UCLA, but if his son's independent study in the next few months is successful, a bargain at any price. Aaron Baddeley, the student, has been playing golf barely six years.

Fred Couples is a sentimental favorite to win the Northern Trust Open on Sunday, a 51-year-old with emotional loyalty to the Riviera Country Club course where he has won two titles. Kevin Na is another sentimental favorite, a local kid from Diamond Bar High who is hoping his first PGA Tour win might give his father a happy helping of hope as he battles leukemia in Korea. Couples and Na are both at nine-under-par 204 after three rounds, and that's almost good enough to lead.

Fred Couples says the unrelenting pain in his back is "like a toothache. " For the rest of the golfers in this week's Northern Trust Open, the same could be said about the 10th hole at Riviera. Of the six players in the final two groups Sunday, from which the likely winner would come, only Aaron Baddeley managed a birdie. Kevin Na and Couples played in the last group with Baddeley and each made bogey. Vijay Singh, Ryan Moore and John Senden were in the group immediately ahead.

Fred Couples is a sentimental favorite to win the Northern Trust Open on Sunday, a 51-year-old with emotional loyalty to the Riviera Country Club course where he has won two titles. Kevin Na is another sentimental favorite, a local kid from Diamond Bar High who is hoping his first PGA Tour win might give his father a happy helping of hope as he battles leukemia in Korea. Couples and Na are both at nine-under-par 204 after three rounds, and that's almost good enough to lead.

Aaron Baddeley shot his way into a share of the third-round lead at the Chrysler Classic of Tucson with an eight-under 64 Saturday. He and Heath Slocum took different routes to reach 15-under 201. Baddeley, who began the round six strokes behind, carded eight birdies and no bogeys on a cool, gusty day. Slocum bogeyed the last hole and turned in a 70 the day after his 64 earned him a one-shot lead heading into the third round. Mike Heinen had a 65 to stay within a shot.

Aaron Baddeley is 10 strokes behind leader Charles Howell III entering the final round of the Nissan Open and he will not be playing in the same group with Tiger Woods, but you can bet he will have a significant gallery today at Riviera Country Club. And don't be surprised if most of those following him are teenage girls. Baddeley is a 22-year-old Australian who could pass for the lead singer in a boy band.

Aaron Baddeley paid his dues. Now, the 21-year-old Australian wants to show he belongs among the best players in golf at the Sony Open. With birdies on three of his last five holes at windy Waialae Country Club, Baddeley polished off a six-under-par 64 to share the 36-hole lead with Retief Goosen. "I love being in the last group," Baddeley said. "It's where I want to be -- tied for the lead, and comfortable with my game." The pressure is nothing new.

Like any responsible father, Ron Baddeley is picking up the tab for his son's education. Tuition will run about $72,500 for the three-year accelerated program. A little less than Princeton, a bit more than UCLA, but if his son's independent study in the next few months is successful, a bargain at any price. Aaron Baddeley, the student, has been playing golf barely six years.

Fred Couples says the unrelenting pain in his back is "like a toothache. " For the rest of the golfers in this week's Northern Trust Open, the same could be said about the 10th hole at Riviera. Of the six players in the final two groups Sunday, from which the likely winner would come, only Aaron Baddeley managed a birdie. Kevin Na and Couples played in the last group with Baddeley and each made bogey. Vijay Singh, Ryan Moore and John Senden were in the group immediately ahead.

Sunday at the U.S. Open proved to be the fourth consecutive tough day at Oakmont Country Club. Jim Furyk, far left, had the crowd behind him on the 12th hole as he stayed in the hunt to the end, but third-round leader Aaron Baddeley, top, might have been intimidated by the moment. Baddeley began with a stunning triple bogey, found himself on the sand at No. 7 and struggled to an 80. Stephen Ames, above, was in contention early, but he had a double bogey and triple bogey on the front nine to fall out of it, and Bubba Watson, left, sweated his way to a 74, finishing in a tie for fifth.

Aaron Baddeley, 18, won the Australian Open on Sunday to become the youngest champion in the tournament's 95-year history and the first amateur winner in 39 years. Baddeley closed with a three-under-par 69 for a two-stroke victory over fellow Australians Greg Norman and Nick O'Hern. "I thought I could win today," he said. "I played to the best of my ability and it was good enough. You dream about this."