Our most famous homegrown PGA Tour star, Fred (Freddie) Couples, finished his 2nd round at The Masters at four over par and missed the cut by one.  He was tied with the great Gary Player for most consecutive cuts made at The Masters, and had his birdie putt gone in on the 18th, he'd have owned the cut record outright.  He made a grat stroke, just shaved the edge.  Man, a half inch left and he has history to himself.  What a cruel but wonderful game....
 

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- You probably didn't see this coming. And if the truth be told, neither did he.

Not after the way Fred Couples played last week at the Shell Houston Open where rounds of 73, 69, 67 and 66 translated into a tie for fourth.  Couples, though, couldn't sustain that momentum at Augusta National during the 72nd Masters Tournament. And when he missed the cut on Friday, Couples' bid for yet another piece of history ended as well.

Absolutely Textbook Technique

Turns out, the 2009 Presidents Cup captain actually controlled his own destiny at the 18th hole, but his 12-footer slid by the hole as Couples leaned his head back in disappointment.

"I definitely needed that putt on 18," said Couples, who shot 76-72 to finish 36 holes at 4 over. But it's been a long time, and it's been fun."

Couples, now 48, was in his third year on the PGA TOUR --- two months away from his first victory, which came at the Kemper Open -- when he made his first trip to Augusta. He opened his Masters career with a 73 and went on to tie 32nd that year.

Nine victories and nine years later, Couples finally slipped his limber arms into a Green Jacket, size 43-long. In the seven years leading up to his Masters victory, Couples had five top-10s and he's added five more in the interim.

The streak might have ended last year, but extremely difficult conditions and unseasonably cold, windy weather pushed the cut to 8 over 152 which Couples made on the number with a pair of 76s. He couldn't repeat that feat on this Friday, though.

"The reason I have that streak is because I won in 1992, which was the big honor, and to make the cuts, to be quite honest with you, I don't consider that great of a deal," Couples said. "Playing well in this tournament I think is my goal.

Freddie had a great run!

"And even as well as I played last week, you know, I think I set my sights a little high yesterday and I went out and I struggled and I tried to hit better shots than I could, and I went from 2 over to 3 over to 4 over, and you're kind of done.

"So going out today my goal was certainly to make this cut. ... I'm not going to make it; I'm kind of disappointed in that. But I'm really disappointed with the way I played."

By Helen Ross - PGA Tour Cheif of Correspondents