AUGUSTA, Ga. — Fred Couples is used to going home after three rounds of a golf tournament. That’s the routine on the Champions Tour, where the 50-year-old Couples has been its most dominant player. But today he tees it up for the fourth round of the Masters with an outside chance to become the oldest player to win a Green Jacket.
Couples, the 1992 Masters champion, is 7-under after 54 holes, five shots behind leader Lee Westwood of England.
“I have a shot if I can shoot a crazy score,” Couples said. “If I can shoot a 67 or 68 or lower, I’ll have a shot, but I think it’s going to take a ridiculous round.”
Couples shot a 4-under 68 yesterday after a 66 and 75 in his first two rounds. He knocked in short birdie putts on the first and second holes, and later chipped in for eagle at the par-5 15th to go 8-under for the tournament. Even a bogey at the 18th couldn’t sour his day.
“I know I can play this course,” Couples said. “I can putt the greens. I have one day and we’ll see what happens.”
The back pain that has plagued Couples throughout much of his career hasn’t been unbearable this week.
“Once I warm up, it doesn’t feel like it’s going to break in half,” he said.
His chip-in at the 15th came just after Phil Mickelson holed out from for the 14th fairway, extending a series of roars that rattled the Georgia pines.
Couples yelled at Mickelson from the 15th fairway after Lefty had holed out.
“I wanted that golf ball that he holed in at 14,” Couples said. “That’s what I wanted. He couldn’t hear me, but I wanted that eagle ball. Then I chipped in on the next, so I told him he could have my eagle ball. That was pretty neat.”
It also would be pretty neat if Couples becomes the oldest man to win the Masters.
“I don’t feel 50 playing golf,” he said. “I still drive the ball a long way. I can hit a lot of long irons and play long, hard holes and that’s what you’ve got to do here.
“Whatever happens, it’s not because I’m 50 and tired. It’s just because I didn’t play well on Sunday at Augusta. But I’m going to give it my best.”