Couples is the best of a good bunch

Fifty-year-old Fred Couples leads The Masters and 60-year-old Tom Watson is among those only one shot behind.

But if both those are shocks, then it is certainly not a surprise to find Lee Westwood in joint second place and Ian Poulter just one further back alongside Tiger Woods. Couples, champion in 1992, appears a man reborn after switching this season to the seniors tour, where he has won three times in four starts and is an incredible 77 under par for 12 rounds.

America's Presidents Cup captain continued that form with a six under par 66 on Thursday, his best round in 97 he has played at Augusta National. "I'm ecstatic about the round," commented Couples. "You're always nervous, because, no matter what age you are, you want to do well."

He added: "I wasn't expecting too much, to be honest with you, but once I got going I just kept making putts." As he has all year.

Couples would be the oldest ever major champion if he finishes on top on Sunday, as many believe he can - and that itself tells you the magnitude of what Watson is trying to do.

Nine months after being one putt away from winning The Open he is challenging again following a 67 that matched his lowest at Augusta in 119 rounds going all the way back to his debut 40 years ago.

Watson has missed the last seven cuts in the event, crashed out with a worst-ever 83 last year and told Jack Nicklaus on Tuesday that he considered the 7,435-yard lay-out simply too long for hiim now.

But the words of his son inspired him. "It's been a wonderful week already," he said. "My son proposed marriage when we played the practice round and his bride-to-be didn't know anything about it.

"Everybody was in on the scam and I think a big part of my success was having my son on the bag.

"He said 'Dad, show me you can still play this golf course.' You know what, I wanted to show him I can still play the golf course."