One of Seattle’s greatest professional athletes, Fred Couples, announced last week that he will play in the 13th annual Boeing Classic PGA Tour Champions event, Aug. 21-27 at The Club at Snoqualmie Ridge.

“After missing Boeing Classic last year due to back health issues, I’m really looking forward to returning home, playing in this great tournament and enjoying the beautiful Pacific Northwest,” said Couples. “I would love to do well at Boeing Classic in my hometown.”

Since the start of his professional golf career in 1980 at age 21, Couples, now 57, has competed on the PGA Tour and many other tours worldwide. Over the course of his prolific, 37-year tenure, he has won dozens of high-profile events – most notably the 1992 Masters, along with the 1984 and 1996 Players Championship. In 2011, he won his first senior major at the Senior Players Championship, followed by a victory at the Senior British Open in 2012.

Couples was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2013.

“He’s a beloved son of the Emerald City and local favorite,” said Boeing Classic Executive Director Brian Flajole. “Everyone in this region is a Fred Couples fan. It will once again be a great opportunity to come out and show support for this hometown golf legend. We are thrilled to have him join us and one of our best field of players ever in this year’s Boeing Classic.”

Couples grew up on Seattle’s Beacon Hill and learned to play the game he lives at Jefferson Park Municipal Golf Course. He graduated from O’Dea High School in 1977, then accepted a golf scholarship to the University of Houston. As a member of the Houston Cougars men’s golf team, Couples roomed with Blaine McCallister, another future PGA Tour player, and future CBS Television broadcaster, Jim Nantz.

As a 19-year-old amateur, Couples beat PGA Tour veteran, and fellow Seattle native, Don Bies in a playoff to win the 1978 Washington Open at Glendale Country Club in Bellevue.

When asked about his thoughts on potentially winning the Boeing Classic at some point, Couples replied, “I’ve come close before. To do that again this year, I’m going to need make more birdies to keep up with the guys that seem to shoot 67 every round. But I enjoy it. I love playing there and maybe this year I can get it done.”