It might be an overgeneralization, but there are three types of players at the Masters: pros in their prime, older past champions in the twilight of their career and amateurs experiencing Augusta for the first time, possibly earlier than they ever imagined.
Fred Couples falls into the second category.
The 1992 Masters champion has continued to make waves in the years since his win. Now, the 66-year-old is once again making headlines.
Couples was 2 under through 14 holes on Thursday. He was putting together a better card than Round 1 of the 2023 tournament, when he would go on to make the cut at 1 under that year — the first time he’d done so since 2018.
Unfortunately for Couples, his round on Thursday took a turn in the final few holes, with him carding a quadruple bogey, double and another double to end the day 6 over.
“All the gas was gone,” Couples said after. “It was kind of a sour game, but it was fun.”
The reporters talking to him were surprised he had said yes to media. After all, Robert MacIntyre quadrupled the same hole (No. 15) to finish at 8 over and refused interviews.
“I do it at Augusta,” Couples said when asked why he said yes. “I love this place. No matter what I shoot, I try. I get very frustrated. Because I — at any age you still want to hit shots... I’m not going to run. If I was 35 and [shot] that, I would be going bananas on everybody. You, you, you. And I would’ve ran right by and told you to get out of my life.”
That’s what a green jacket and 41 starts at Augusta National will do for you. While the pros in their prime are the most likely to win here, the older past champions have more experience than anyone. On any given Thursday and Friday during Masters week, they’re going out with the amateurs and schooling them — and often still teaching the pros a thing or two.
Couples, for his part, is still competitive, even if his prime has passed, but with such an extensive resume, he’s also refreshingly realistic about his current game, saying things like:
- “I’m going to lay up on every par 5. I can’t reach any of them.”
- “The wind makes it challenging because you can’t really realize how far you’re going to hit it — for me. They’re hitting 9-irons and wedges, so it’s not as hard.”
- “I can get it up and down. I’m not the greatest chipper, but around here I know what I’m doing.”
The oldest Masters winner was Jack Nicklaus in 1986. He was 46, and it was his sixth and final green jacket.
While the amateurs are typically still early in their game and fine-tuning on their way to their Tour card, the biggest challenge the older past champions face is usually the walk. On the PGA Tour Champions, they can use golf carts and play 54 holes, so they’ll often make some noise early at Augusta but fade later.
The biggest difference between the older past champions and the rest of the field is physical. The mental aspect — the knowledge of the course, the creativity to get it done — it’s all there.
“It’s Augusta National. It’s supposed to be [challenging] like that,” Couples said. “For the really good players, I think they want it like this. I know the Jon Rahms and Schefflers and Spieths and Rorys.”
“And by the way, Rory may never lose this thing again after last year,” he said of the 2025 champion. “I said that on about the 12th hole to my caddie.”
Couples may never slip on the green jacket in victory again, but there is value to him and all of the past champions playing this tournament. From bestowing their wisdom upon the amateurs and prime players, to delighting the patrons with their expertise when shots go their way.
As of late Friday morning, Couples was at it again — 1 under through the first nine and eager to win this particular battle.
Isn’t that what makes golf such a universal sport? Champion, pro, amateur or casual player, it’s always just you and the golf course — and who will prevail in this round?