Fred Couples Misses Masters Cut After Water Woes

AUGUSTA, Ga. Fred Couples, the 1992 Masters champion, missed the cut at Augusta National on Friday after a second-round 75 that followed a dramatic collapse in his opening round, capping a 41st appearance marked by water hazards and uncharacteristic errors at age 66.

Couples started Thursday strongly, reaching 2 under par through 14 holes under firm, windy conditions that tested the field. But on the par-5 15th, his approach spun back into the pond guarding the green, and his recovery wedge followed suit, leading to a quadruple-bogey 9. He then double-bogeyed the par-3 16th after another splash and the par-4 17th, signing for a 6-over 78. "I've never wedged it into the water or really wedged it 15 yards over the green on 15," Couples said. "In the old days, I went for it every time, but not for 10 or 12 years, and then now it's water, water, water every time I look at the goddamn thing, and I don't know why."

The troubles continued Friday. Starting at 8:50 a.m. ET in calmer weather, Couples turned in 1 under for the day and reached even par through the 11th, hovering near the projected cut line at 5 over for the tournament. A double bogey on the par-3 12th, where his tee shot...