By Frank Pingue
AUGUSTA, Georgia (Reuters) – Fred Couples is making his 40th Masters start this week and while he has a lifetime exemption into the major thanks to his 1992 triumph said on Tuesday that he would walk away before looking like “some clown” trying to golf.
The 65-year-old Couples, whose silky smooth swing and laid back demeanor have made him a fan favorite everywhere he goes, made history at Augusta National in 2023 when he became the oldest player to ever make a Masters cut.
But Couples, speaking to reporters after a practice session with fellow major winners Brooks Koepka, Justin Thomas and Adam Scott, said when he is no longer competitive at the Masters he will accept that it is time to walk away.
“So I can play this year and next year for sure, but I don’t want to come here as some clown just trying to play golf,” Couples said.
Couples, who claimed 15 wins on the PGA Tour and another 14 titles on the senior circuit, once thought a former Masters champion’s age determined when they were no longer allowed to play in the year’s first major.
But Couples, who has battled back issues for much of his career, was pleasantly surprised when he learned otherwise before a long flight that was suddenly made more comfortable.
“I always thought there was some kind of an age requirement and there really isn’t, but now there’s more of a, you know, how do you play requirement,” said Couples.
“So I feel good about my game and I’m — like I said, I was at a Bridgestone outing and on the way back we called (the Masters Chief Tournament Officer) and he gave me the news, and the six-hour flight home kind of went fast.”
Couples, who was dealing with intense back pain at the 2024 Masters when he missed the cut, will play the opening two rounds this year alongside fellow American Harris English and Canada’s Taylor Pendrith.
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Augusta, Georgia)
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