AUGUSTA, Ga. — It was 32 years in the past that Fred Couples slipped a inexperienced jacket onto Germany’s Bernhard Langer for a second time.
On Friday at Augusta Nationwide Golf Membership, the previous champions gave patrons loads to cheer for whereas each battled to make the minimize.
Langer, 67, beforehand had introduced that his forty first begin within the Masters can be his ultimate one. After making three birdies and one bogey in his first 12 holes of the second spherical, he appeared to be in fine condition to stay round for 2 extra days.
However then Langer’s third shot on the par-5 fifteenth gap spun off the inexperienced and into the water. He made double bogey and was 2 over, which was the projected minimize line. After making consecutive pars on Nos. 16 and 17, Langer’s method was left of the ultimate gap. His ball stopped among the many patrons. He chipped to about 10 ft and needed to sink a par putt to make the minimize.
Langer’s ball slid previous the opening on the excessive facet. He missed the minimize by one stroke at 3 over.
Patrons encircling the 18th inexperienced gave Langer a standing ovation as he walked towards the clubhouse together with his spouse, Vikki Carol, to signal his scorecard one final time. His youngest son, Jason, was his caddie this week.
“It was a really particular final two days for me, even beginning off strolling to the primary tee yesterday, I received a standing ovation and the folks actually, , applauded,” stated Langer, who would have turn into the oldest participant ever to make a minimize in a serious. “I virtually teared up and virtually began crying proper there, and I stated, ‘Come on, get it collectively, you have received some golf to play.’ It sort of stored going. There have been a number of standing ovations all through the golf course in numerous spots.”
Langer stated he puzzled a few times this week whether or not he ought to proceed taking part in within the Masters in future years — previous champions obtain lifetime exemptions — however he determined the course is simply too lengthy for him now.
“There have been instances [in the] final couple days once I thought, ‘You recognize, did you make the precise resolution right here, or ought to you could have waited one other 12 months or two together with your final Masters?’ As a result of I used to be, , taking part in fairly effectively and really sensible.”
{Couples}, 65, gave himself a superb probability to make the minimize by opening with a 1-under 71. He was solely the second golfer age 65 or older to interrupt par in a spherical on the Masters. (Tom Watson, at 65, carded a 71 within the first spherical in 2015.)
However {Couples} struggled within the second spherical with six bogeys and one birdie and posted a 5-over 77. He completed 4 over after 36 holes.
“It was not good,” {Couples} stated. “It was not terrible. I may have shot 73, and I may have shot 80. How about that? And I sort of shot proper in between as a result of I made a pair putts. However I am not upset about something. I attempted as laborious as I may, and let me let you know, it is a laborious course.”
{Couples}, the 1992 Masters champion, stated he plans to compete in subsequent 12 months’s match.
“As quickly as I get in that automotive and drive out Magnolia Lane and are available again tomorrow and have a pleasant lunch, I will be fantastic,” he stated. “The purpose is to make the minimize at my age. I did not, and I am sort of spinning my wheels pondering simply why it was so mediocre.”
Fifty-three gamers made the minimize of 2-over 146.
Previous champions Dustin Johnson (3 over), Sergio Garcia (4 over), Mike Weir (4 over), Phil Mickelson (5 over) and Adam Scott (5 over) additionally went residence early.
Different notable gamers who missed the minimize included Russell Henley (3 over), Keegan Bradley (3 over), Tony Finau (4 over), Sepp Straka (5 over), Billy Horschel (5 over), Cameron Smith (6 over) and Will Zalatoris (8 over).
Mickelson, a three-time Masters champion, was 1 over with 4 holes to play. On the par-5 fifteenth, he hit his drive into the bushes on the precise. After punching out of the pine straw, his method discovered the inexperienced however his ball spun again into the pond. He made a double-bogey to fall to three over.
Mickelson’s tee shot on the par-3 sixteenth discovered the water once more. He made a bogey to fall to 4 over. One other bogey on the 18th dropped him to five over.
“I actually thought I used to be going to play effectively and get proper in it,” Mickelson stated. “I have never missed very many cuts right here, and I am shocked that I missed one this 12 months as a result of I used to be taking part in very well heading in.”
Even Brooks Koepka wasn’t immune from the late troubles at Augusta Nationwide. The LIV Golf League captain was 2 over heading into the fifteenth. From 230 yards away, he knocked his method to three ft and made an eagle putt to get again to even.
After one other par on the par-3 sixteenth, Koepka’s method shot on No. 17 rolled again 45 ft from the cup. He chipped to 12 ft and missed the par putt for a bogey.
On the par-4 18th, Koepka yanked his tee shot into the woods down the left and could not discover his ball. His method on his fourth shot was lengthy and stopped within the gallery of patrons behind the inexperienced. He chipped to 12 ft and three-putted from there, lacking a 4-footer. The quadruple-bogey 8 left him at 5 over.
Koepka, who has three wins within the PGA Championship and two within the U.S. Open, has completed outdoors the highest 25 in his previous six main championships.
Cameron Young‘s missed minimize was equally painful. The 2022 PGA Tour Rookie of the 12 months carded an even-par 72 within the first spherical and was 2 over after 15 holes Friday.
On the sixteenth gap, Younger pushed his tee shot into the gallery of patrons on the precise. He chipped to 12 ft and missed the par putt — after which inexplicably missed tap-in putts of about 1 foot and 1½ ft whereas dashing. He marked his ball and made a 2-footer for a triple-bogey 6.
On the par-4 seventeenth, Younger missed a 7-footer for an additional bogey to fall to six over. He hit his tee shot on the 18th into bushes down the precise, main to a different bogey. He completed 7 over.
