Fred Couples makes history at Masters Saturday when he makes the cut

Tom D'Angelo, Palm Beach Post
·2 min read
Apr 8, 2023; Augusta, Georgia, USA; Fred Couples stands under an umbrella on the 18th green during the second round of The Masters golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Network
Apr 8, 2023; Augusta, Georgia, USA; Fred Couples stands under an umbrella on the 18th green during the second round of The Masters golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Network
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AUGUSTA, Ga. — Fred Couples made history at Augusta National Saturday.

Couples became the oldest player to make the cut at the Masters after finishing his second round with a 74 for two day total of 1-over 145. Couples had to wait until Saturday morning because play was suspended Friday. The cut line was 3-over.

Couples is 63 years, six months and six days, passing Bernhard Langer of Boca Raton, who made the cut in 2020 at 63 years, two months and 17 days.

"I am excited to make the cut," said Couples, the 1992 Masters champion. "That's why I come here. The last four years have been really mediocre golf. Maybe one year I was semi close to making the cut. But that's my objective, and I did it.

"You compete with Bernhard all year long on the Champions Tour. He's probably been the best player for eight or nine years. He's phenomenal. I feel like here I can compete with myself to make the cut. I can't compete with Viktor Hovland or Jon Rahm or anybody, but I can compete with myself, and that's really why I come. That's what I like to do is make the cut here at an older age."

Couples has now made the Masters cut 31 times. Jack Nicklaus leads with 40.

More: The Masters: Would Brooks Koepka have joined LIV Golf if his game was this good? | D'Angelo

More: Three large pine trees fall onto 17th tee box at Masters, no reported injuries

The temperature dropped more than 30 degrees from the start of Couples' second round on Friday to the finish on Saturday. Play was suspended because of inclement weather, that included a wind gust responsible for toppling three large pine trees near the 17th hole. No one was injured.

When Couple returned early Saturday, it was raining and the temperature was in the high 40s.

"Am I going to look thrilled to play 18 holes this afternoon? No, I'm a wimp," Couples said Saturday morning. "I'm an old wimp, but I'm excited to play. And I don't wear gloves. So I've got a couple of hours to try to figure out what I'm going to try and do if it stays like this all day long."

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Fred Couples passes Bernhard Langer as oldest to make cut at Masters