Augusta, Ga. — It was 32 years ago that Fred Couple slid a green jacket on Bernhard Langer, Germany for the second time.
At Augusta National Golf Club on Friday, the elderly former champion gave enough patrons to cheer them on.
Langer, 67, had previously announced that his 41st start with Master would be his last. After making three birdies and one bogey on the first 12 holes of the second round, he appeared to be in a suitable shape to stick to for two more days.
But then Langer’s third shot on the par 5 15th hole was spun from green to water. He made a double bogey and was over two. Nos. After creating consecutive PARs at 16 and 17, Langer’s approach was left in the final hole. His ball stopped between the patrons. He chipped at about 10 feet and had to make a putt to make the cut.
Langer’s ball passed the hole on the high side. He missed the cut with a stroke at 3am.
The patrons, who surrounded the 18th green, walked towards the clubhouse with his wife, Vicki Carroll, and gave Langer a standing ovation when he last signed the scorecard. His youngest son, Jason, was his caddy this week.
“Even walking to the first tee yesterday was a very special two days for me. I got a standing ovation. “I almost shed tears and started crying right away. It kind of got a lot of standing ovations across the entire golf course.”
Langer wondered if he should continue playing with future masters once or twice this week – past champions have received lifetime exemptions – but he now decides it’s too long for him.
“For the past few days, ‘Did you make the right decision here or should have waited another year or two with the last master?” I was because you know, you were playing so well and very smart. ”
The 65-year-old couple gave them a good opportunity to make a cut by opening at 1 under 71 in the first round. He was the second golfer over 65 to beat par in the round at the Masters (he had a 71 card in the first round of 2015).
However, the couple struggled with six bogeys and one birdie in the second round, posting 5 over 77. He finished four after 36 holes.
“That wasn’t good,” the couple said. “It wasn’t bad. I might have shot a 73, maybe I shot an 80. How about that? And I made some putts so I shot a bit in the meantime. But I’m not mad at anything.
The 1992 Masters champions, the couple, said they plan to compete in next year’s tournament.
“As soon as I get in that car and drive Magnolia Lane and go back tomorrow for a nice lunch, it’s fine,” he said. “My goal is to cut at my age. I didn’t. I turn the wheels thinking why it’s so ordinary.”
53 players made 2 over 146 cuts.
Past champions Dustin Johnson (3 over), Sergio Garcia (4 over), Mike Weir (4 over), Phil Mickelson (5 over), and Adam Scott (5 over) also returned home early.
Other notable players who missed the cut include Russell Henry (3 over), Keegan Bradley (3 over), Tony Finau (4 over), Cep Straka (5 over), Billy Horschel (5 over), Cameron Smith (6 over), and Will Zaratrice (8 over).
Three-time Masters champion Mickelson was more than one playing four holes. On the 15th, he hit a drive into the tree on the right. After punching out of the pine straw, his approach discovered greenery, but his balls returned to the pond. He made a double bogey 7 and fell to 3.
Mickelson’s tee shot on the par 3 16th found water again. He quadrupled the bogie. Another bogey on the 18th dropped him to more than five.
“I thought I was going to play really well and be right,” Mickelson said. “I haven’t missed too many cuts here. It was really good this year, so I’m amazed that I missed it this year.”
Even Koepka was unimmunized from the late Augusta National massacre. The two captains of the Liv Golf League were heading towards 15th place. From 230 yards away, he knocked the approach three feet, made an eagle putt and returned evenly.
After another par on the 16th, Koepka’s approach was filmed on No. 17. He chipped at 12 feet and missed a par putt due to a bogey.
On the par 4 on the 18th, Koepka yanked a tee shot into the forest on the left and was unable to find the ball. His approach in his fourth shot was long and stopped at the patronage gallery behind Green. He cut down on tips to 12 feet from there and missed four footers. Quadruple-Bogey 8 made him five years old.
Having won three PGA Championships and two at the US Open, Koepka finished outside the top 25 in each of the last six major championships.
Cameron Young’s missed cut was equally painful. The former PGA Tour Rookie of the Year carded an even par 72 in the first round and was over 2 on Friday after 15 holes.
On hole 16, Young thrusts his tee shot into the patron’s gallery on the right. He tipped to 12 feet and missed the putt – and in a hurry he insanely missed the tap-in putts of about a foot and 1½ feet. He marked the ball and made two footers for the triple bogey six.
On the par 4 17th, Young missed the seven footer as another bogey fell to over 6 years old. On the 18th he hit a tee shot into the tree on the bottom right, leading to another bogey. He finished seven.