AUGUSTA - Fred Couples came agonisingly close to making a record 24th straight cut in the Masters on Friday, but his putt for a birdie at the last slipped just past.

The popular American, who won his only Green Jacket in 1992, equalled Gary Player's mark of 23 consecutive cuts made last year and he gave himself a chance of going one better after opening rounds of 76 and 72.

The 48-year-old had bogeys at five and 11 but bounced back with two tremendous birdies at the par-five 13th and 15th holes.

He came to the long, uphill 18th knowing that a birdie would see him safely into the weekend but it was not to be as he failed to sink the 10-footer that would have taken him past Player.

Couples finished with a par-72 for a four-over total of 148, one stroke past the cutoff mark he had made on each occasion since his debut in 1983.

He was not that disappinted though saying that making cuts was not his main motiviation in golf.

"The reason I had that streak is because I won in '92, which was the big honour and to make cuts, to be quite honest with you, I don't consider that being so great of a deal," he said.

"Playing well in the tournament I think is my goal.

Couples was in good company as the usual raft of former winners, who have lifetime exemption to play in the tournament, headed home ahead of the weekend's action.

Others were: Craig Stadler (148), Mark O'Meara (148), Tom Watson (150), Bernhard Langer (151), Jose Maria Olazabal (151), Ben Crenshaw (152), Raymond Floyd (154), Larry Mize (158), Fuzzy Zoeller (160) and 72-year-old Player who brought up the rear with 161 playing the tournament a record 51st time.

Flying the flag for the golden oldies, however, were Ian Woosnam of Wales who was a stroke inside the cut at 146 and Scotland's Sandy Lyle right on it at 147.

Fifty-year-old Woosnam's performance was all the more remarkable in that he is playing under the duress of a chronically sore back that leaves him in agony at times.

"I just keep spasming up all the time. Very much in the morning," he said.

"As I get going I seem to get better. So that's a good sign. Hopefully it's getting better

"I haven't really played for a year. That was the first round I walked around yesterday in a year. And today was the second one.

"So that's a tough enough achievement as it is."

ak/bb

04/12/2008 00:47 GMT