Veteran Couples proves that he really is a cut above

FORMER champion Fred Couples vowed he would not be resting on his laurels after becoming the oldest player to make the cut in the Masters.

The 63-year-old resumed his delayed second round from the right-hand side of the 18th fairway yesterday morning and, although he went on to bogey the hole, scores of 71 and 74 saw him qualify for the last 36 holes.

Couples thereby eclipsed the previous record, set by Bernhard Langer in 2020, by four months.

‘I played really well the last couple days,’ said the American, who won the Masters in 1992. ‘I enjoy the place. I hit my tee shot yesterday (Friday) when the wind was howling and I had 230 yards to the hole.

‘All night long I thought just make a five. I wasn’t even thinking about a four and I made a five.

‘It’s probably the best I could have done unless something crazy happened.’

Couples admitted he was not thrilled by the prospect of playing another 18 holes if the rain continued to fall as forecast, but added: ‘I’m an old wimp, but I’m excited to play. I am excited to make the cut. That’s why I come here.

‘The last four years have been really mediocre golf. Maybe one year I was semi close to making the cut. But that’s my objective, and I did it.

‘It’s not like ha, ha, ha, now I can screw around and play 36 holes for fun. I’m going to try and compete.’

Couples has now made the cut 31 times at Augusta National, second only to Jack Nicklaus with 37, and shares the record for more consecutive cuts made (23) with Gary Player and Tiger Woods after Woods scraped through on yesterday. ‘I wish I had three wins and 10 cuts, but the couple of times I had a chance to win, I didn’t,’ added Couples.

It is fitting that Couples (right) beat the record, previously held by Langer, for the oldest player to make the cut. Time and again since turning 50, the silverhaired and fluid-swinging patron favourite has risen up the leaderboard, defying his age.

‘There really isn’t a secret,’ insisted Couples. ‘Everyone loves this place. That doesn’t mean you’re going to play well. If I hit it really solid, I’m a good iron player.’ Another veteran Phil Mickelson (52) also made the cut with Couples and is on the edge of the top ten after rain halted yesterday’s play. Neither look set to retire soon but one name that joined Scotland’s Sandy Lyle is saying farewell to Augusta was Larry Mize. The 1987 winner was greeted off by the patrons on 18 and Lyle, the victor a year later, also applauded the American.

‘Sandy’s a good friend and that was very special,’ said Mize, who posted a second-round 80 and final score of 15 over.

‘It’s just unbelievable, surreal,’ added 64-year-old Mize, whose chip-in on No11 during a play-off in 1987 to beat Australian Greg Norman stands as one of the greatest shots in Masters history.

‘The fans were great. To get a reception like that in weather like this, I didn’t expect that. I didn’t expect that at all.’