Oldest Masters player vows not to embarrass | Golf News

Fred Couples maintains he would “never” embarrass himself at the Masters as he makes an attempt to surpass his own file as the oldest player to make the cut.

The 1992 winner set the benchmark in 2023 by reaching the weekend at 63 years previous, and now, at 66, the beloved Couples goals to break the file once more. He is the oldest competitor in the sphere this week, with 63-year-old Vijay Singh and Jose Maria Olazabal, 60, close behind.

Masters winners obtain lifetime entry to the match, though gamers sometimes obtain a mild nudge from Augusta National when the membership feels it is time they retire from competitors. Bernhard Langer, 68, is the latest champion to relinquish his enjoying privileges after acknowledging he was “struggling to walk.”

Augusta National presents an more and more formidable problem for older gamers. The steep terrain makes the course a demanding stroll for golfers in their prime, a lot less those in their 60s. The membership has also prolonged a number of holes over the years to counter the continuously growing energy that gamers can generate off the tee.

However, Couples has pledged to Augusta National that he would never allow himself to seem silly. He said: “I will never embarrass myself or Augusta, so I plan on doing well this year. What does that mean? We’ll find out. But I know if I get it around, I’ll be fine.”

Olazabal, the 1994 and 1999 champion, concedes that the course has surpassed his capabilities. He told reporters: “I’m getting used to the golf course playing extremely long for me.

“There are sure holes that I barely attain the inexperienced in two. No. 5 is a good instance of that; No. 11 is another one. Then I do have a lot of par-fours that I’m hitting actually long irons, even 7-woods, onto the greens.

“As I said, it’s always great to be here. My goal is just to put a couple of decent scores the first two days and try to enjoy it as much as I can.”

Couples managed to flip back the clock, at least in his thoughts, when he took to the course for a apply spherical alongside Jake Knapp, one of the largest hitters on the PGA Tour.

He added: “I am old. I played with Jake Knapp, holy cow, who I love and have never played with, but we have always wanted to play. I had him today, and it was amazing how far he hits it. So now I can see how the course used to play.”

Couples will get the prospect to tee off alongside some youthful gamers in Thursday’s opening spherical, becoming a member of Australia’s Min Woo Lee and Thai beginner Fifa Laopakdee at the 12:15 p.m. ET tee time.