Couples worst fears come true with 41-year | Golf News

By the close of play, Fred Couples was unsure about his remaining rating, which turned out to be a 6-over 78.

The 1992 Masters champion, who had expressed concern about embarrassing himself forward of the major, faltered on the fifteenth gap. The 66-year-old was 2-under going into the par-5, with clubhouse leaders Rory McIlroy and Sam Burns ending the day at 5-under, placing him in a strong place.

After an spectacular drive and layup, Couples did one thing he claims he is never carried out in his 41 years taking part in at Augusta National: he hit the water. Then, he repeated it.

Couples finally sank his ball for a 9. However, his struggles did not end there. With his confidence shaken, the American double-bogeyed the sixteenth and seventeenth holes. In just three holes, Couples plummeted from 2-under to 6-over. A par at the 18th halted his downward spiral and concluded the spherical.

“I was cruising along and making a few putts when I needed to,” Couples recounted his mishap on the fifteenth. “Then I actually had a perfect yardage and I had seen a couple other guys, not in my group, but skip it over that green. I just felt like, you know, it was a shot I can handle.”

“I just kind of skinned it off the downhill lie and didn’t carry far enough. Then I did the same thing. Then on 16 I tried to regroup and just hit it down in the flat where the ball is going to roll anyway and I pulled it and hit in the bank and went in the water.

“Then it just got here — all the gasoline was gone. It was variety of a bitter recreation, but it was enjoyable.”

He remarked, uncertain of his exact score, “Tomorrow just have to go do the same factor but perhaps not end 10-over par on two holes or whatever the hell I did.”

Elaborating on his nine, Couples explained, “Sometimes when you do not attempt and hit a good shot you overlook what the hell you are doing. I’ve no excuse. I just did not hit them far enough.

“I’ve played I don’t know how many rounds, I’ve never done that, hit it in the water going for the green. Never hit a 90-yard shot in the water and then followed up with another one. I’ve played 41 years here. I’ve never done that.

“It was variety of like a shot I can deal with, but I wasn’t even attempting to deal with it. I used to be just attempting to hit it 30 ft proper. No one goes to hit it in there 5 ft I do not suppose. The greens are like concrete. The course was actually, actually good.”

Couples acknowledged he wouldn’t typically address reporters following such a performance, but his love for Augusta compelled him to appear.

“I do it at Augusta,” he stated. “I really like this place. No matter what I shoot, I attempt.

“I get very frustrated. Because I — at any age you still want to hit shots. You know, it happens. I’m not going to run — if I was 35 and did that I would be going bananas on everybody. You, you, you. And I would’ve ran right by and you told you to get out of my life.

“It actually was a enjoyable day.”