Older Masters contenders seek win for the ageless

11 April 2014 01:16

Over-50 contenders Fred Couples and Miguel Angel Jimenez put themselves in the title hunt with one-under par 71s Thursday at the Masters, leading a host of elder Augusta National contenders.

Each was three strokes off the 18-hole pace of Bill Haas, son of 60-year-old Jay Haas, a 22-time Masters starter.

Germany's 56-year-old Bernhard Langer, who won his first of two green jackets in 1985, and American Steve Stricker, 47, both shot 72.

"Can a 50 year old win here? I think so," Couples said. "It's hard. I will say that. It's hard for me personally to play a course this hard day after day for four solid rounds. But my goal is to compete with these guys and not really worry about them."

South Korean K.J. Choi, a relative young gun at 43, was level fifth on 70.

But Choi wouldn't even be the oldest winner in Masters history, unlike the other under-par oldies but goodies, who still have plenty of work to surpass the mark of 46 by Jack Nicklaus in his 1986 Masters triumph.

"It's hard to play as well every day, every hole because I'm no longer 35," Couples said. "When you're coming out here you have to hit shot after shot after shot after shot and when you don't you make bogeys."

Couples, the 1992 Masters champion, has been first or second after one of the first two rounds in three of the past four years.

But when asked why he couldn't win the Masters, the 54-year-old American had an all-too ready answer based on past weekend fades.

"Why can't I? Well, because the last couple years I shot 77 and 75 on Saturday, so that's why I can't win it. So I have to play better on all the rounds," Couples said.

"I'm not here just to play golf. I love the course and I would say my 71 is in pretty darn good shape.

"I need to keep playing like I am. When that day stops, then I can be a sacrificial lamb around here and just walk around. But really, personally, I feel like I can play this course."

So does Langer, who has also put together solid rounds in later years, entering last year's final round ninth.

"I was glad the way I played, pretty good, pretty solid," Langer said. "I putted OK. A 72 is not that shabby."

Jimenez, a 50-year-old Spaniard, was four-under par through nine holes but stumbled through Amen Corner with a bogey at 11 and double bogey at 12 to fall back.

"I played beautiful golf. Only two holes I made bad mistakes," Jimenez said. "I don't hit the ball that far, but I hit it and it goes straight to the flag. It's nice to see that I'm being competitive with all the guys.

"Anybody who is here can win. I think I'm not playing bad for 50 years old."

His advice for older players is simple, focus on shots and having fun.

"As you get older, you need to concentrate on the shots and between shots just try to be yourself, put a smile on your face and don't worry about everything else," he said.

Couples has no great fear of favorites Adam Scott and Rory McIlroy even as he admits they are superior when at their best.

"If they play well, I can't beat them," Couples said. "But if I play well I can compete with them and maybe with nine holes to go I hit four unbelievable shots and do something good.

"But that hasn't happened yet."

Source: AFP