Fred Couples buys a golfer’s pad in Newport Beach

Professional golfer Fred Couples, who last month teed up an off-market sale in Brentwood, has purchased a home in Newport Beach for $3.475 million.

Located within the private Big Canyon Country Club, where Couples is a member, the 3,800-square-foot home has raised ceilings, large picture windows, a kitchen with a wrap-around island. There are fireplaces in the living room, sitting room and master suite and a total of five bedrooms and three bathrooms.

Grounds of more than a quarter of an acre center on a paver patio with a fountain and a built-in barbecue. Tall trees, formal landscaping and an expanse of grass complete the outdoor setting.

Lindsay Bibb of Villa Real Estate handled both ends of the transaction, which occurred outside of the Multiple Listing Service.

The purchase follows the recent sale of Couples’ home in Brentwood, which he bought from former Clippers head coach Mike Dunleavy in 2012. The Spanish Colonial Revival-style house went in an off-market deal for slightly more than $6 million.

Besides shaking up his real estate portfolio, Couples, 55, started the year with a third-place finish at the Hualalai Pro-Am in January and will take part in the Newport Beach sectional in June with an eye toward the U.S. Open at Chambers Bay later that month.

Among the Seattle native’s career victories are a pair of Players Championships and one major, the 1992 Masters Tournament at Augusta National.

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