Couples among Three Players Withdrawing from U.S. Senior Open


Fred Couples was among three players who've pulled out of the U.S. Senior Open. The third major of the year on the Champions Tour will be played July 10-13 at Oak Tree Golf Club in Edmond, Okla.

Citing continued problems with his chronically bad back, Couples, the 2010 U.S. Senior Open runner-up behind champion Bernhard Langer, will be replaced by John Harris, of Minneapolis, Minn., the first alternate from the Byron, Minn., sectional qualifying site.

Also not playing is Craig Stadler, who's also suffering from a back injury. Stadler, whose best finish is a tie for seventh at both the 2004 and 2005 U.S. Senior Opens, will be replaced by David Ishii, of Aiea, Hawaii, the first alternate from the Honolulu sectional qualifying site.

The third player withdrawing is Australian Graham Marsh, who didn't disclose the injury. Marsh won the 1997 U.S. Senior Open and was runner-up in 1994. The 70-year-old Marsh will be replaced by Bruce Vaughan, of Hutchinson, Kan., the first alternate from the Glen Ellyn, Ill., sectional qualifying.

Vaughan, who won the 2008 Senior British Open, will be playing in his seventh U.S. Senior Open.

The Champions Tour is idle this week.