European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 14, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday april 14, 1992 the stars and stripes b Page 21 Ray Noyd left bidding to becom. The masters oldest Champion and Fred copies chasing his burst major title Fanny the Das Well As the adulation of sunday s .11.0- couples wins hearts along with jacket a e. A a i i i a of  no Haitin Tiff pm nov of Hookins a 7-Iron i by Dave Anderson the new York times Augusta a. In the sunny warmth of the masters the galleries did no to seem to know which american golfer to drop More decibels on Fred couples younger and casual or Raymond Floyd older and determined. As the two touring pros moved past the azaleas and Dogwood of the Augusta National Back nine in the last two pairings each had the crowd in the Palm of his Golf Glove. V but when the masters ended Fred couples basked in All the applause that rumbled through this Cathedral of Georgia Pine Trees. His two stroke Victory not Only silenced his critics who wondered if he would rather float in mediocrity than Bear the Burden of Fame but also put him on a Pedestal As americans most compelling golfer since Tom Watson and before that Jack Nick Laus Lee Trevino and Arnold Palmer. Now 32, couples has emerged As a genuine threat to pursue the grand slam that through the decades has eluded All the Best golfers a winning the masters the . Open the British open and the professional golfers association championship in the same year. But until recently couples was considered an underachiever a criticism he resented and is quickly refuting. In last years Ryder cup matches couples helped the United states regain the trophy. And with his masters Green jacket he has justified his no. 1 spot in the Sony ranking system. Couples also ended a Streak of four consecutive masters victories by foreign golfers Ian Woosnam of Wales last year Nick Faldo of England in both 1990 and 1989 and Sandy Lyle of Scotland in 1988. And when sundays final round began 26-year-old Craig Parry had a one stroke Lead Over couples in his bid to be the first australian Winner. By the second Hole Parry had a three stroke Lead. But then couples whose hooked tee shot Down into the deep Woods led to a bogey 6 at the second almost holed his wedge shot to the third Green. He tapped in for a Birdie and Parry three putted for a bogey suddenly narrowing the difference to one stroke. And the race for the Green jacket was on. A they Freddie a voices in the gallery were shouting. A a let a go  couples had arrived at the masters As the hottest golfer on the pea tour this year winning the Nissan los Angeles open at Riviera and the Nestle invitation at Bay Hill while earning a total of $738,162 in nine events and averaging Only 69.04 strokes per round. With what some Golf people consider the sweetest swing since Sam Snead in his prime couples was installed by British Odd makers As a 6-to-l favorite to win his first major championship. A a in be been playing All parts of my game Well and my Iron game exceptionally Well a he said after fridays second round. A the course is playing Short so if i can drive the Ball Well i can put a Little spin on the Ball. I just try to play the course. Its a great course for me. A in recent months just about every Golf course has been a great course for couples who has made Golf appear almost too easy. When he reached the Back nine sunday he had a two stroke Lead on flood his Mentor in last years Ryder cup matches. At age 49, Floyd who won the 1976 masters was hoping to be the oldest masters Winner a three years older than Jack Nicklaus was in winning in 1986. Floyd also was hoping to erase the haunting memory of hooking a 7-Iron into the Pond at the 11th Hole in a sudden death masters playoff with Faldo two years ago. Floyd also had a Chance to become the first Gaiter to win the masters after having won a senior event the Fuji grand slam of Golf two weeks ago in Japan. Floyd wont be eligible for the pea senior tour until his 50th birthday on sept. 4, but in Japan golfers Are allowed to compete in senior events during the year they turn 50. Not that Floyd is about to join the senior pea tour. His seven stroke Victory in Japan was too easy for someone who still thrives at age 49 on the tougher Competition of the pea tour itself. Earlier this year he won the Ryder doral open not Long after his Miami Home burned Down. A was Well As in a playing the game was very very easy a Floya said last week of the Fuji senior event with its Shorter holes. A i done to want to sound Brash but i feel if i continue to play like that it would be lopsided. I just done to think it s the thing i would like to  but sunday the old pro Raymond Floyd could t put together enough birdies As the Young underachiever Fred couples finished 13 under Par. Zokol goes to the Edge Hattiesburg miss. A Richard Zokol came within two inches of going out of Bounds on the Par-5 17th Hole sunday. Then he came out of the Woods to save Par and waited in the wings before winning the Deposit guaranty Golf classic. Zokol an 11-year tour Veteran shot a 3-under Par 67 sunday to win his first Pua event with a four Day total of 13-under Par 267. He won $54,000. Third round Leader Mike Donald shot 1-Over Par sunday at the Par-70, 6,280-Yard Hattiesburg country club finishing in a fou Way tie for second place at 12-under 268 with Mike Nicolette Bob Eastwood and Greg Twiggs. Down under pros stumble again. A to bpm and i Npaul by Steven wine Augusta a. A almost again for aussies at Augusta. Craig Parry blamed the crowd and Ian Baker Finch blamed his Putter. Whatever the reasons the contenders from Down under were no match for Fred couples on masters sunday. A we both fell Over at the wrong time a Baker Finch said. Like Greg Norman the runner up in 1986 and �?T87, Parry and Baker Finch missed a Chance to be the first australian to Wear the Green Blazer. Baker Finch stumbled to a 2-Over-Par 74 and finished at 281, six shots behind couples. Parry who had a three stroke Lead before three putting nos. 3, 4 and 5, skied to 78 and finished at 282. Parry complained that the fans made noise when he was swinging refused to acknowledge his Good shots and were partial toward couples. A the spectators were so one eyed it was very hard to play out there Parry said in aussie speak. A i was on the Green on no. 3, and someone started coughing on my Back that All Dav. It Day. Never swing. It was like that  Parry hit plenty of pretty approaches but he needed 36 putts. Couples took 28, which accounts for the eight stroke margin Between them in the final round. Baker Finch hailed by Norman As the worlds Best Putter also suffered on the Green. A i three putted the third Hole from about 15 feet and i just lost All sense of judgment on my Speed from there on he said. A i done to think i got a putt to the Hole the rest of the  no one mounted a charge. The Lone challenger with some momentum on the Back nine Corey Pavin birdied nos. 13, 15 and 16 but ran out of holes and finished three shots Back. �?o1 Felt starting the Day that i had a Chance a Pavin said. A i really Felt if i could shoot six or seven under i could put some pressure on them and 1 nearly got there.�?T. Pavin came to no. 17 figuring he needed one maybe two More birdies to pull it off. But he pulled his 7-Iron second shot on 17 and then left a Birdie putt Short on 18 a a it was a 25-foot putt about 3 feet too  a and settled for pars and third place. If the heroic charge from behind was missing sunday another part of Augusta nationals lore was not a pressure. The course Wasny to playing that Tough a Early starter Mark Calcavecchia shot a record 29 on the Back nine which included six straight birdies to close out his round of 65but the contenders struggled to make birdies. Quot i really  blame putting so much As my handling of the situation a Baker Finch said. A it s certainly Tough to keep going when you re on the Back nine and things Arentt going Well for  a fall in All Quot Parry said a there is pressure out