At 65 years old, Fred Couples still on his game as Masters tournament begins
Fred Couples walks around Augusta National like a groom during cocktail hour. It’s not that hordes of people are planning their day at the Masters around Couples’ tee time. Few post up at a spot waiting for the Couples group. There is no Couples version of the “Tiger roar.”
But when he walks onto a tee box or green at Augusta National, it’s as if he sets off some internal beacon for an older generation. Folks perk up at the sight of the 1992 Masters champion. Patrons begin tapping their friends. “There’s Freddie,” they’ll say, before instincts kick in and they start to yell: “Fredddddddieeeeeeee.”
That can bring about special days like Thursday, when it’s not clear if Couples or the patrons are having more fun. The 65-year-old shot a 1-under 71 during the opening round of the Masters, six strokes off the leader Justin Rose.
And playing in his 40th Masters, Couples’ opening round was perfect — an incredible combination of miracle shots and quintessential Augusta artistry.
It started on the first hole, where Couples’ approach shot missed the green and rolled into an embankment before settling about 50 feet from the cup. Then he decided to pull out the putter. His yellow ball rolled firm through the first cut, tapped the flag stick and dropped into the cup.
Couples opened his arms in disbelief.
A gallery guard just behind him was left with his mouth agape.
“Oh my God,” he told Couples, “that was amazing.”
And then the two had a 10-second back-and-forth as if they were high school buddies reminiscing about the 1977 homecoming dance. A similar interaction would come from few, if any, other Masters competitors.
He kept the absurdity up for another 17 holes. He had a ridiculous sand save on No. 7 and then later on No. 16, when he flew the ball over the hole and let the slope bring it down for a 4-foot par putt.
There was another “save” on 13, when his wedge shot that rolled into Rae’s Creek and he sunk a long, winding bogey putt to keep hope coming out of Amen Corner. All of which set up another miracle.
Couples does not play long irons anymore. He opts for a bevy of hybrids or rescue clubs, joking that “I’ve got a lot of head covers.” Which meant that when he had an approach shot on No. 14 — Rory McIlory hit the same shot with a wedge from 113 yards out — he grabbed a 6-hybrid from 191 yards away. A few seconds later, his ball was in the cup and Couples was walking down the 14th fairway giving smooches to that 6-hybrid.
Couples is a king at Augusta National, the 65-year-old everyman who isn’t quite Rocky but has transformed into the lovable underdog nonetheless. He won the ‘92 Masters as a 33-year-old with a metronome swing and one heck of a head of hair. Since then, he has finished in the top 10 a half-dozen times, including 2010 — when 50-year-old “Fredddddieeeee” led the Masters after day one.
And just as folks began to Google how old Jack Nicklaus was during his 1986 victory (he was 46), Couples shot a 75 that Friday. He hung around on the weekend and finished sixth.
“I mean, I think about it all the time,” he said Thursday. “You know, if I could have won it one more time it would be the greatest upset in the world of golf, but I didn’t.”
Those were back in the days when Couples’ annual drive down Magnolia Lane came with real thoughts about winning the tournament. The thoughts over the past year have been much different.
His back pain was ruthless and Cortisone shots only do so much. And he hadn’t yet put the full array of hybrids in his bag. The result was an 80, 76 and a missed cut. That began the speculation inside Couples’ mind of when his time playing in the Masters might come to an end.
Former Masters champions have lifetime exemptions. But they also have pride.
On Tuesday, Couples said, “I don’t want to come here as a some clown just trying to play golf,” but walked back that statement a bit on Thursday.
“I really shouldn’t use the world clown,” Couples said. “But I can play golf. I can play around here. If the weather is like this and not hard, I can — as long as I don’t do crazy things, I can shoot 73 or (74) or (75). That’s not embarrassing myself at all.”
If anything, it is only embarrassing the 20-somethings who hit the ball a mile and get out-played by Couples. Sorry, outplayed by “Fredddddddieeeeeeee.”
Masters TV, stream schedule
- Friday: Round two, 3-7 p.m., ESPN
- Saturday: Round three, noon to 2 p.m., Paramount Plus; 2-7 p.m., CBS
- Sunday: Round four, noon to 2 p.m., Paramount Plus; 2-7 p.m., CBS
This story was originally published April 10, 2025 at 7:19 PM with the headline "At 65 years old, Fred Couples still on his game as Masters tournament begins."
