Fred Couples shows his past Masters form

AUGUSTA, Ga. - Fred Couples is 53 now, but he proved once again on Friday he still has the game required to win the Masters.

Couples, the 1992 champion, carded his fifth birdie of the day at the 18th hole for a 1-under-par 71 and a second-place tie, 1 stroke behind 36-hole leader Jason Day.

"The last two days I've driven the ball nicely, so it seems like the same old course for me," said Couples, who shared the lead at the halfway point last year. "So then you get into, 'Am I good enough to play four good rounds in a row on a course like this?' It didn't happen last year. I was 4-over pretty fast on Saturday, which was a real bummer."

Another issue for Couples is his back, which has given him plenty of problems through the years. He said Friday he hasn't had an issue with it this week, and he'll be able to rest up before a late tee time on Saturday.

"I would like to have another run" at contending, he said. "Hopefully, tomorrow will be a little different and I will play well and have a shot on Sunday. That's my goal. But I'm not going to kid you - it's a hard course."

Defending champion Bubba Watson posted seven birdies in his second round, but some adventures on the greens almost cost him a chance to play the final two days.

Watson had six bogeys, the sixth coming on No. 18, and a double bogey for a 73 and made the cut of 148 right on the number. He said he had six 3-putt greens.

"The green speed is not what we're used to," Watson said. "It rained a little bit, but not like what would slow the course down. It's the first time I've ever seen it this slow. . . . I just can't get a putt to the hole."

The wind that swirled around the tall pines of Augusta National baffled Sergio Garcia, and the first-round coleader struggled to a 76 that knocked him back into a tie for 14th at 142.

"It was very, very gusty," Garcia said. "There were some shots that you would hit well and some that would make you look a little bit silly."

Garcia found water with his second shot on both 11 and 15, and with his tee shot on 13, and said he was affected all three times by the wind. He scrambled for par on 15 but bogeyed the other two holes.

Dustin Johnson was the only player Friday to get to 7-under for the tournament after a birdie at the par-5 13th. But then the bottom fell out.

Johnson went 6 over par on his final six holes, fueled by double bogeys at the 15th hole, where he went into the water, and No. 18.

"He's a guy that could win this, and he kind of stepped on himself," said Couples, who was in the group with Johnson. "He's going to have to burn it up [Saturday]. But it can happen."