AUGUSTA, Ga. — A couple of beloved former champions are making unexpected runs at another Masters title.
Forty-six year-old Fred Couples and 54-year-old Ben Crenshaw are earning ovation after ovation for their excellent play this week at Augusta National.
Couples, who won in 1992, stands in a tie for second place, three shots behind Chad Campbell after shooting a 70. He would have had a 69 and sole possession of second place if his eight-foot birdie putt at No. 18 hadn't lipped out.
Crenshaw, a two-time winner, ran off 14 straight pars Friday after an early birdie and bogey and finds himself as surprised as anyone that he's in contention halfway through the tournament, in a tie for 10th place, five shots off the lead.
"Well, I suppose I've got some game left," Crenshaw said. "I'm on the back side of my career. I don't know where this week is going to lead, but I've had so much fun playing this week."
COODY BIDS ADIEU: Several golfers have made dramatic exits in their final Masters, including Arnold Palmer in 2004 and Jack Nicklaus last year.
Charles Coody made his final appearance at the Masters Friday to much less fanfare, although he did shoot better than either Palmer or Nicklaus did in their final appearances.
The 69-year-old Coody shot a 2-over par 74 after shooting an 89 in the opening round Thursday. Nicklaus only managed a 76 last year in his final round and Palmer shot an 84 the year before.
"This is my last Masters, so it feels good to play well," Coody said. "Yesterday I played poorly and today I played well. They actually told me I would probably get 'most improved.' "
DON'T TELL HOOTIE: A lot of the talk at the Masters this week has centered around the changes making the course almost 200 yards longer than last year. Some players are worried that Hootie Johnson and Masters officials may keep trying to lengthen the course.
Phil Mickelson didn't want to reveal what club he used at the par-5 570-yard 8th hole, which was playing downwind Friday. Mickelson's huge drive left him with a short-iron into the green.
"You know, I'm going to refrain from answering that question, because if I do, the tee box is going to be back even further," he said as the press room erupted in laughter.
When someone suggested it was an 8-iron, Mickelson said, "I'll tell you in confidence later, but I don't want that one getting out to Hootie either."
NO LOW AM: One of the goals for Utah amateur Clay Ogden this week was to win the silver cup awarded to the low amateur.
After finishing at 159 for two rounds, Ogden won't have a chance to win the cup. But neither will anybody else.
To be the low amateur, you have to make the cut and none of the five amateurs made the cut.
Ireland's Brian McElhinney finished as the low amateur at 155 with rounds of 80 and 75, followed by U.S. Amateur champion Edoardo Molinari of Italy.
Ogden finished with the best score of the three American amateurs at 159, while Kevin Marsh and Dillon Dougherty both finished at 160.
MASTERS NOTES: Chris DiMarco, who lost in a playoff to Tiger Woods last year and finished sixth the year before after holding the lead after three rounds, missed the cut . . . Mark Hensby had the second-best turnaround Friday, rebounding from a opening-round 80 to shoot a 67 and make the cut by one shot . . . Couples has now made 22 straight cuts at the Masters, which is second only to Gary Player, who made 23 straight from 1959-82 . . . There were 11 eagles Friday, bringing the total for the tournament to 23. Last year there were 15 for the entire tournament . . . For the second straight day, the 505-yard par-4 11th hole was the most difficult with an average of 4.533 strokes.
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