This time, aggressiveness on No. 12 doesn't pay off for Couples

Knowing he needed a charge to catch Phil Mickelson, Fred Couples tried to recreate some 1992 magic. It didn't work out this time, but Couples still had a great week on a course he calls his favorite.

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) -- Fred Couples couldn't get the break he did in 1992.

Knowing he needed to be aggressive to have any chance at catching Phil Mickelson, Couples tried to stuff an 8-iron right at the pin on No. 12. But he hit it poorly, and the ball tumbled down the slope in front of the green. He was in almost the exact same spot when he won in 1992, but that ball hung up in the grass.

This one trickled into the water -- effectively ending any chance the 50-year-old had at becoming the oldest winner at Augusta National.

"That took a lot of steam out," Couples said.

He would birdie his next two holes, and finished sixth, seven strokes behind Mickelson at 279.

"I finished well and I had a great week," Couples said. "I have a game that's suited to this course and what it means right now is I'm really disappointed in a few shots, but at the same time I'm glad to finish it out. So that's pretty good for me."

It was a good week for Couples.

After missing the cut the last two years, he looked an awful lot like the "Boom Boom" of old, shooting a 66 on Thursday to become the oldest player to hold the outright lead after the opening round of this tournament. A rough finish Friday appeared to take him out of contention, but he came back with a 68 on Saturday that left him five strokes behind third-round leader Lee Westwood.

"This is my all-time favorite spot," Couples said. "I had a great time."