US Masters: Old friends Mickelson and Couples get the message

Published on Monday 12 April 2010 01:49

WHILE Augusta galleries communicated with their old fashioned roars of appreciation, Phil Mickelson and Fred Couples were egging one another on through text messages at the Masters.

Mickelson stormed to his third green jacket with a five-under-par 67 last night and Couples carded a closing 70 to finish in a superb sixth place.

The 50-year-old 1992 champion revealed on Saturday night that he and Mickelson were keeping in close contact as the left-hander thrilled the galleries during the third round with an extraordinary eagle-eagle-birdie stretch on the back nine.

"It was pretty funny because we were texting a little bit about how low I was going to have to go to catch him and maybe play with him tomorrow," said Couples.

"For a time there, we were both playing pretty well, but then he went eagle, eagle, birdie, and that's a pretty big jump to get going, and I chipped it on 15," he said about his own eagle-three on the par-five hole.

After Mickelson holed out from the fairway at the par-four 14th for his second successive eagle, Couples was seen shouting to the big left-hander.

"I wanted that golf ball that he holed in at 14. That's what I wanted," said Couples, who played in the group ahead of Mickelson. "He couldn't hear me, but I wanted that eagle ball.

"And then I chipped in on the next, so I told him he could have my eagle ball. That was pretty neat."

Couples was a surprise first-round leader after an opening 66 before his bad back acted up as he soared to 75 on Friday.

The smooth-swinging American said his back felt all right in the third round, but he found it tiring to tour the hilly Augusta National layout.

"You know, I do ride a cart every and then on the (senior) Champions Tour, and this thing is a beast to walk.

"I feel like 100 standing here to be honest with you, but I don't feel 50 playing golf."

Couples dumped a shot in the water at the 12th yesterday, leading a double-bogey that stifled his bid to become golf's oldest major champion. But the popular American responded well to secure a highly creditable top-six finish.