ORLANDO, Fla. -- Fred Couples confirmed his status as the best player in the world with an almost casual victory yesterday in the Nestle Invitational.

Going in with a six-stroke lead, Couples ambled to a 2-under-par 70 for a nine-stroke margin, the largest since Jose-Maria Olazabal won the 1990 World Series of Golf by 12.

In slightly more than nine months, Couples has won five titles, finished sixth or better 19 times in 23 starts -- and won $2,362,975.

The best has come in the past four weeks: a win at Los Angelessecond in the Doral Open, a Honda Classic playoff loss and the win here.