well, can he keep up this level of play... or does it not matter because tiger is back?

Contender but not a closer. Freddy's biggest obstacle are putts under 10ft not TW or any other golfer.

I doubt he will keep the form for the masters..... but I wud love to see him up contending. he was one of my favorites from when I was young.

Bingo

i could see him playing well and being in contention. But sinking those putts on augusta's greens on sunday. It would be nice, but i don't see it happening

Given his current form, it's not totally in the realms of Harry Potter to think that he may well be there or thereabouts over the weekend - as is the case with Greg Norman.

Does he have a realistic chance of winning? I'm not sure that his putting stroke is going to hold up under the gun, and I can't see it happening barring a miracle.

A Masters of yesteryear with Norman or Couples playing any sort of supporting role would be magical stuff though. My fingers are certainly crossed - even if the betting slip isn't. I've resorted to reason and Woods, Ogilvy and Westwood have got a bit of my money riding on their shoulders for next week.

Ya Couples and Norman have as good a chance as anyone else IMO, Couples still bombs it, but like was said putts under 10 feet under presure he gets so short, and stabby it's scarey watching. I think if it drys out and they don't get any rain in Augusta this week Norman's chances get better, as well as Justin Leonard, if it gets wet the course could prove to be to long for them. Time will tell, and I'm excited to watch it play out.

I agree that his putting will let him down. In my opinion that is the reason he lost to Phil a few years ago. He just didn't sink the putts.

Older players can't put together four rounds in a regular tour major. Two is standard and three is a rarity. My friends and I in Las Vegas have used that theory successfully for more than a decade in wagering on daily matchups. If an older guy has already played two solid rounds you start licking your chops to wager against him.

So the answer is no.

And I detect that in my own game, as I approach 50. Occasionally I'll play as well as I ever did but regardless of how much I practice or how good my confidence or timing is, there's no way I can string together high caliber rounds.

Well in a recent golfworld Freddy said he can't wait to get on the Champions tour, he said himself that it's not realistic to win on tour anymore.

Freddy Couples is my fav golfer and always has been.

I simply think he is too mentally tired to hang on through the entire 4-days. You could tell his neuro-chemicals were all used up after the front 9 today (final round).

I think he should have been eating something for those last 6 holes today. Maybe some protein or nuts or something. He looked exhausted.

Freddy's putting stroke under the gun inside 10 feet looks about like Charles Barkley's golf swing... ok maybe not that bad, but it's pretty ugly. I don't see it holding up under major championship pressure. It'd be cool if it did though.

Fred is a streaky player ... when he is swinging like he is right now. He is capable of a 2006 type run. I really believe if Fred would not had to play that many holes on Sunday, he could have won that tourney. Remember he was right in it before that horrible gag job on #14 ... and yes, those ugly stabs on holes #2 and #3. When they were almost tap in birdies.

This year reminds me of 2006 regarding Fred. He played well at Riveria ... which he did again this year. He did well this week ... so who knows.

Seems like if he plays a solid 1st round at Augusta , he sticks around for awhile. That being said ... Goosen, Oglive, Woods , Philly and Ernie + the always one unknown will be the guys.

I am with a lot of you guys in rooting for Norman and Couples at Augusta. I really thought that last year's Open Championship was phenomenal TV on Sunday.

I am also in agreement with the majority of people on here that they are definitely a long shot. We saw how Freddy finished today - three bogeys on the final three holes and not making a birdie on the par 5. Both Couples and Norman definitely have the game, I just don't think they can put 4 good rounds together. Both hit the ball a long way, but it takes a great deal of mental focus for 72 holes, and I just don't think they are up to it.

But again, I'm really hoping that I am wrong!

Very disappointed when Freddy hit 3-wood on the last par-5 and plopped it in the bunker. I wish he would have been aggressive with an all out "I got nothin to lose", ripped driver, tried to get home in two, and change momentum from the previous two holes.

He played sooo conservative. He's got the firepower and talent to still close if he'd just believe it!!

My $0.02

Probably won't contend. He blew his load this week. Too many holes over too short a time will impact his back. He mentioned a couple of times he felt like he was walking on hot nails a sure sign he has irritated a disc again. He won't be able to putt those greens with his belly putter. I don't think anyone has ever won with a long putter at Augusta..

It would be nice for freddie to win again, anywhere. But I think as long
as he plays that long style putter, he's destined for what we witnessed
today in Houston. It looks as if that putting stance as well as the length
of the putter, puts his eyes off the target line. When he was number one
in the world he used a standard length putter. Look how he addresses
the ball with this mid long length putter. I wish his caddie and coach
would work on his putting. The rest of his game is top notch. Someone
please cut down that scotty cameron putter. When something in your
bag is causing you that much pain, rid yourself of the pain, before it
starts to work on your confidence.These longer putters have ruined more
games than they have helped.

And remember, Couples and Norman will get about 1 day to rest because they need to be in Augusta Tuesday morning at the latest. That's in 32 hours from now (sun night) The par 3 challenge is Wednesday.

Norman looked beat as well in that interview. He said he had nothing left in the tank - and his dark circles showed it.

I hope they can contend but...

Everyone knows that Augusta is a second shot golf course. Unfortunately, Freddie is a streaky player and right now he's on a down streak- unfortunately, for someone with a swing like Freddie, a bad streak usually means long, inaccurate drives and iron shots that are pin high, but often 30 yards off line. That leaves him unlikely to leave himself in very good position after his drives, and unlikely to hit great recovery shots. Not that he's unable, but he's not like Tiger who will have a terrible week driving and then hit tremendous iron shots; he's more likely to hit very good drives and terrible iron shots. In addition, he's a very streaky putter too. Unfortunately (again), he's not on a great putting streak either.

As much as I love freddie, an older, greyer, Greg Norman seems more likely to win the masters.