Fan favourite Fred Couples says there is no place he feels more at home than at Augusta National, but he still has some unfinished business at the famed venue of the Masters tournament.
The 52-year-old American stole the show in Friday’s second round, firing a five-under 67 to match his second-best score in 106 rounds dating back to his first appearance in 1983.
For the second year running, that raised the tantalising possibility that he could win his second Major, this one 20 years after he won his first Masters, and so become the oldest-ever winner of a Major title.
It is a golf course he says that inspires him each time he walks onto it.
“I feel like I just really, really enjoy playing here and I just wish I would have won it again; I didn’t,” he said.
“I wish I would have beaten Mark (O’Meara) or Phil (Mickelson) one of those two years, but to win it once was truly amazing, and to play well here a lot I think is because I really know the golf course.
“That doesn’t mean I’m going to do well every single time, but I feel like I can get it around and figure out how to shoot a score on this course.”
The famously laid-back Californian these days plays most of his golf on the US Senior Tour and this year his only two appearances on the regular PGA Tour have seen him miss the cut at the Northern Trust and tie for 47th at the Houston Open.
He also took a tie for 33rd at the Dubai Desert Classic in February.
But with his champion’s life-long exemption at Augusta National safely in his back pocket, Couples knows that he can get his game in order and his chronically painful back in some kind of shape at just the right time.
“I believe there are a lot of guys that play well here because they feel very comfortable on the course,” he said.
“You know, Tiger (Woods) certainly did, (Jack) Nicklaus did. But those are guys who have won so many majors.
“For me personally, I just love the week. And if I don’t do well, you know, I leave here with the attitude of, ‘I’ll come back next year and do well.'”
Couples’s continuing love affair with Augusta National particularly impressed the poster boy of the young generation of golfers — Rory McIlory — who was just two years old when the American won in 1992.
Speaking after he came in with a second round 67 that left him at four-under for the tournament and one back from the lead, the Ulsterman said that even though he did not know him well he liked what he saw.
“He’s just cool. I hope I’m that cool when I’m 52. Yeah, he’s just a cool guy. And he’s good fun,” he said.
“I’ve gotten to know him a little bit over the last couple of years, and you know, he’s laid back and relaxed and just a really nice guy.”
