Originally published Sunday, February 14, 2010 at 7:13 PM

Seattle native Fred Couples wins Champions Tour event | Golf

Seattle native Fred Couples won the ACE Group Classic for his first victory on the 50-and-older Champions Tour, holding off Tommy Armour III by a stroke Sunday in Naples, Fla.

By The Associated Press

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STUART FRANKLIN / GETTY IMAGES

PEBBLE BEACH, CA — FEBRUARY 14: Dustin Johnson hugs his caddy on the 18th hole after winning the final round of the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am at Pebble Beach Golf Links on February 14, 2010 in Pebble Beach, California. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images) 73473475

Fred Couples triumphed in Champions Tour event.

NAPLES, Fla. — Seattle native Fred Couples gave the attention-starved Champions Tour a big boost.

Couples, 50, won the ACE Group Classic on Sunday for his first victory on the 50-and-older Tour, holding off Tommy Armour III by a stroke.

Couples closed with an 8-under-par 64 to finish at 17-under 199 at The Quarry.

He earned $240,000 for the victory and has a first and a second — to Tom Watson — in two starts on the Champions Tour.

Couples made a 5-foot birdie putt on No. 17 and a tap-in par on the 18th hole to post his first official victory since the PGA Tour's 2003 Houston Open.

"That's a long time," Couples said. "I am very excited that I won and I'll keep trying to win out here and I have a couple chances on the PGA Tour to make the cut."

Armour — making his Champions Tour debut — matched the Tour record for lowest score in relation to par with an 11-under 61.

Johnson repeats

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — Dustin Johnson became the first player in 20 years to win back-to-back Pebble Beach National Pro-Am titles, closing with a 2-over 74 for a one-shot victory over David Duval (69) and J.B. Holmes (71).

Johnson finished at 16-under 270 and earned $1.116 million.

PGA Tour rookie Alex Prugh (74), an ex-Washington Husky from Spokane, tied for 27th and made $41,269. He took a 9 on the par-5 14th hole.

Other tournament

• Australian Andrew Dodt (4-under 68) beat Richard Finch (66) of England by one shot to take the Avantha Masters in Gurgaon, India. Dodt had a 14-under 274 total.

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