There are obviously plenty of perks that come with winning The Masters, perhaps the most prestigious being a lifetime exemption.
Some past champions opt out of that exemption earlier than one might expect. For example, three-time winner Nick Faldo played his last competitive round at Augusta National in 2006 at the age of 48.
Others, though, choose to play as long as they possibly can. Such is the case for Fred Couples, who earned his lifetime exemption by winning the 1992 Masters, which was the lone major championship victory of his Hall of Fame career.
And while the sweet-swinging Seattle native had a rough go of it for a few years there, missing the cut four straight times from 2019 to 2022, he set a new Masters record just two years ago by becoming the oldest player to make the weekend at age 63.
And with a fantastic opening round on Thursday, the 65-year-old put his name in the Augusta National record books yet again.
Fred Couples now owns the record for the longest stretch between under-par rounds at Augusta
Playing alongside Harris English and Taylor Pendrith, Couples was part of the eighth group off the tee on Thursday morning and got his day rolling nicely with a birdie at the 465-yard, par-4 first hole.
After three straight pars, he gave a shot back with a bogey at the par-4 fifth but got back into red figures with a birdie at the par-4 ninth, going out in 1-under 35.
Couples began his second nine with a par at the always challenging par-4 10th but then dropped two shots in the next three holes, making bogeys at Nos. 11 and 13.
However, with one silky swing, Freddie got those two shots back, holing out for eagle from 191 yards on the par-4 14th.
Into the hole from 191 yards. Fred Couples eagles No. 14! #themasters pic.twitter.com/5KD2bMUKv6
— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 10, 2025
He then closed his round with four consecutive pars to finish with a 1-under 71.
And in doing so, Couples now owns the Masters record for the longest stretch between under-par rounds at Augusta National at 42 years. His first such score came in his Masters debut in 1983, when he fired a 4-under 68 in the second round.
Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson previously shared the record at 40 years. Couples fell just short of being the oldest player to shoot under par, though. Watson was also 65 when he shot a 71 at the 2015 Masters, but he was about a month older.
Nevertheless, Fred Couples continues to fight Father Time and will now look to break his own aforementioned record as the oldest to make the cut at The Masters.