Fred Couples makes history as the oldest player to make the cut at The Masters

Fred Couples made history by making the cut.

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CNN
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For almost four decades, Fred Couples has made Augusta his second home, collecting several tournament records at various stages of his career.

And so, it seems fitting that Couples became the oldest golfer to make the cut at The Masters on Saturday, aged 63 years, six months and five days.

“I am excited to make the cut,” the 1992 Masters champion said Saturday, according to the PGA Tour website. “That’s why I come here … that’s my objective, and I did it.

“I’m going to try and compete. 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 carded a one-under 71 in the first round, the first time he has bettered par in the first round at this tournament since 2014.

A security guard moves people away from trees that blew over on the 17th hole of the Augusta National Golf Club on Friday. No injuries were reported.

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Brooks Koepka tees off on the 10th hole Friday. He is 12 under par heading into the weekend.

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Jason Day and William Kane, caddie for Gordon Sargent, read the first green on Friday.

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Tiger Woods tees off on the eighth hole Friday.

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Amateur Sam Bennett plays a shot on the second hole Friday. He shot 68s on both Thursday and Friday.

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Jon Rahm plays out from the bunker on the second hole Friday.

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Billy Horschel reacts to a shot on the second hole Friday.

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Viktor Hovland chips onto the 10th green Thursday. The Norwegian shot a 7-under 65 and shared the first-round lead with Koepka and Rahm.

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Patrick Reed’s caddie, Kessler Karain, helps Reed line up a putt on the 13th hole Thursday.

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Woods grimaces on the fourth tee Thursday. The five-time Masters champion said his surgically repaired right leg felt sore Thursday and that the pain is “constant.”

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Phil Mickelson hits a shot on the second hole Thursday.

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Adam Scott plays a bunker shot on the second hole Thursday.

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Pins adorn a spectator’s hat on Thursday.

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Defending Masters champion Scottie Scheffler hits his tee shot on the seventh hole Thursday.

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Sergio Garcia fishes his ball out of the creek on No. 13.

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A worker updates one of the leaderboards Thursday at Augusta National.

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Koepka hits his tee shot on the 14th hole Thursday.

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Hideki Matsuyama, who won the tournament two years ago, looks over a putt on the second hole.

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Rahm and his caddie, Adam Hayes, are seen on the third green Thursday.

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Golf legend Jack Nicklaus hits a ceremonial tee shot before the start of the first round. He was joined by Gary Player and Tom Watson.

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Rory McIlroy signs autographs after competing in the traditional par 3 contest that is held the day before the start of the tournament.

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Min Woo Lee walks to the 15th green during a practice round Wednesday.

Mark Baker/AP

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When bad weather halted play on Friday, Couples had just hit a drive at the 18th hole and believed that he had to only make a bogey to make the cut.

“I had 230 [yards] to the hole. All night long I thought, just make a [bogey]. I wasn’t even thinking about a [par], and I made a [bogey],” he said afterwards, according to The Golf Channel.

In the end, he made a bogey on the last hole, recorded a two-over 74 in the second round and finished the first two rounds in a tie for 40th place.

Couples, who turned professional in 1980, has now made the cut an extraordinary 31 times at The Masters, second only to Jack Nicklaus with 37.

While Couples reached the tournament’s third round, several other stars did not, including Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas.