Fred Couples said he hopes to be back at Augusta National again in 2025, even after shooting 12-over for the first two rounds.
“I’m planning on being healthy and making the cut and telling (chairman Fred Ridley) I’m coming back the next year, too,” Couples told reporters.
Couples, 64, has lifetime playing privileges here as the 1992 champion. He was T50 a year ago, and had a top-25 finish as recently as 2017. It’s not crazy that he wants to keep going, but he admitted this year’s tournament was difficult.
“My back is shot,” Couples said.
He said he has to get it fixed as it’s not a one-week problem and has caused him to withdraw from multiple Champions Tour events recently.
“Yesterday on the 17th hole I thought I going to not be able to walk, and I just took my time and bogeyed 16, 17 and 18 just to finish,” Couples said.
So why did Couples keep going? He said a major reason why was to help playing partners Adam Hadwin and Stewart Hagestad, neither of whom are Masters regulars.
Hadwin finished his second round at 4-over, and will sweat out the afternoon to see if he made the cut. Hagestad shot 8-over for the first 36 holes.
First appeared on theathletic.com