During their time as undergrads at the University of Houston, Jim Nantz and Fred Couples began their friendship as college teammates. That closeness still continues to this day.
“We did everything together, and he kinda got us through school,” Couples told Golf.com’s Claire Rogers on the latest edition of “The Scoop.” “At night he would come back, and he worked. I didn’t really even know he was doing radio stuff. He’d come back, he interviewed Nolan Ryan when he was pitching for the Astros. He got Muhammad Ali.”
“And ,you know, you are just sitting there as an 18 year old, [thinking] ‘unreal.’ And he would do stuff with us, and mine was always, ‘[He’s] gonna win the Masters.’ And so he’ll say one of the hardest Sunday events that he ever did was the year I won [in 1992].”
During interviews, when asked about their relationship, Nantz would joke about the way Couples would sleep through classes, and how they’d prank one another.
Couples, of course, would go on to win 64 professional tournaments, be a former World No. 1 golfer, and win the Masters in 1992. Nantz become an integral part of any broadcast he was a part of including NFL and golf broadcasts for CBS. And he just recently ended the 32nd and final NCAA men’s national championship of his career.
Nantz even was the announcer for Couples’ Masters win. And he was there for Couples to receive his green jacket.
Safe to say, the two are doing well for themselves. But it wasn’t just those two who knew they’d make it. It was those around them who mirrored those sentiments as well.
“Our coach used to say, ‘You might win a Masters. You might win a U.S. Open, but Jimmy’s going to be president of the United States one day,’” Couples said. “And I think he’s probably got a way better job with what he’s doing with CBS than president. But he’s an amazing guy.”
[Golf.com’s The Scoop; photo from Mike Granch on YouTube]
About Jessica Kleinschmidt
Jess is a baseball fan with Reno, Nev. roots residing in the Bay Area. She is the host of "Short and to the Point" and is also a broadcaster with the Oakland A's Radio Network. She previously worked for MLB.com and NBC Sports Bay Area.