MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 12, 2024

Fred Couples

Quick Quotes

Q. Is there any possibility you won't come back next year?

FRED COUPLES: No, no, and I'm planning on being healthy and making the cut and telling Fred I'm coming back the next year, too. This was really ugly. Yesterday there were several times I should have not played, but I thought I could help these guys that I was playing with a little bit even though they're out-driving me by 50 yards with the wind, so I didn't want to quit.

I just can't hit an iron. I went around, every wood I hit was really, really solid, but it is howling. But an iron, as soon as I hit, I -- on 7 I hit a 6-iron because I didn't know what else to hit, and I carried it about 100 yards. No. 9 I hit a great drive and then had 125 and I had 50 yards left for my third. I can't hit an iron. My body won't let me do it.

It was really, I don't want to say no fun because it's Augusta, but swinging was a chore.

Q. Was it any easier today?

FRED COUPLES: The course?

Q. No, your back.

FRED COUPLES: No, my back is shot. I have more stuff on just to play. The longer the club, I'm okay. I didn't have any speed. I was driving it 260. But most of them were going straight. It was fun. It was really difficult.

If I'd have had more woods, honestly, yesterday, I probably could have shot 75, but I didn't know -- I kind of downplayed how bad I felt. I should have had 11-wood to hit 140 yards. I couldn't even hit an 8-iron. I couldn't swing.

But I enjoyed it. Now I get to go home and watch some good golf in some tough conditions. Brutal out there. The greens are getting firm and fast. It's in great shape. It's just one of those things that you've got to hit really good shots. I don't know how the scores are so good. The wind is everywhere, but the greens are absolutely perfect. They're not ridiculous yet, so people are probably making -- to shoot 5-, 6-, 7-under they're making putts. They're not hitting it four feet. But the course is beautiful.

Q. What hole was that you said you were too short, way short, that you probably wouldn't have had that problem --

FRED COUPLES: Well, No. 9, I drove it down there, downhill lie, and first of all, it was a 9-iron shot, but I was trying to hit a 7-iron and I just couldn't swing. The ball went 80 yards in the air and rolled up short left of the green. It's embarrassing. I don't want to embarrass myself. But I chipped and putted so well today most of the time that it was kind of interesting.

Q. Do you have a sense how much longer you'll play?

FRED COUPLES: Well, I've got to get my back fixed. I could play forever, but I can't play like this. I withdrew at Newport, I withdrew at Palm Springs, and I'm not withdrawing here, and I felt better at those places trying to make sure that I could come here. I played nine holes in a practice round and played around it, never really hit an iron. Then I came out here and you're in competition, and you hit a good drive a little further and now you've got 160 yards. I can't hit a wood, so I hit an iron.

Yesterday on the 17th hole I thought I was going to not be able to walk, and I just took my time and bogeyed 16, 17 and 18 just to finish. But it's all all right.