Fred Couples Represents UH At Masters

UH graduate Fred Couples finishes in Top 12 at Masters.

Masters 2012 Purse: Bubba Watson Takes Home Just Under $1.5 Million For His Win

Winning the exclusive green jacket at the 2012 Masters is not the only item that winner Bubba Watson will take home in the win. By winning Watson earns a nice chuck of change to the tune of $1.44 million, while runner up Louis Oosthuizen earned $864,000. The total purse for the 2012 Masters was for $8 million and the top 20 golfers earned at least $100,000.

Here is the unofficial top 10 earners:

1st: Bubba Watson, $1,440,000
2nd, Louis Oosthuizen $864,000
T-3rd, Lee Westwood, $284,000
T-3rd, Matt Kuchar, $284,000
T-3rd, Peter Hanson, $284,000
T-3rd, Phil Mickelson, $284,000
7th, Ian Poulter, $268,0000
T-8, Adam Scott, $244,000
T-8, Padraig Harrington, $244,000
T-8, Justin Rose, $244,000

You can view the final Masters leaderboard over at Golf.com.

For more on the 2012 Masters, go check out SB Nation's dedicated golf hub as well as this StoryStream. Also make sure to go visit SB Nation's golf blog, Waggle Room.

2012 Masters Winner: Bubba Watson Wins On Second Playoff Hole Over Louis Oosthuizen

The 2012 Masters was full of excitement and had to be settled with extra holes between Bubba Watson and Louis Oosthuizen. It only took two extra holes for Watson to win his first Green Jacket.

Watson shot under par in each round by going 69-71-70-68 to finish at 10-under for the tournament, then on the playoff holes he made par on each to beat Oosthuizen. Watson had his best golf of the tournament on the back nine where he made four straight birdies from No. 13 to No. 16. On the 16th hole is when Watson tied Oosthuizen and the two shot back-to-back pars on No. 17 and No. 18 to force a playoff.

In sudden death both shot par on hole No. 18, and then the two went to the 10th hole and that is where there was some drama. Watson ended up in the mulch but hit an amazing shot to set himself up for the par putt. As for Oosthuizen he struggled on the 10th hole and had to settle for par, but he pushed his putt just enough and just missed the par put to settle for bogie to finish in second place.

As for the local golfers, former Houston Cougar Fred Couples started the day at 11th place and ended up shooting an even par 72 to finish in a tie for 12th place and finished the tournament at 2-under par. For the first two rounds of the tournament Couples was at the top of the leaderboard but after he struggled in third round he fell back to the pack and out of contention.

The 12th place finish for Couples was his best since 2006 where he finished in a tie for third place.

You can view the Masters leaderboard over at Golf.com.

For more on the 2012 Masters, go check out SB Nation's dedicated golf hub as well as this StoryStream. Also make sure to go visit SB Nation's golf blog, Waggle Room.

2012 Masters: TV Coverage, How To Watch Online And More

Final round coverage of the Masters will begin at 11:45 a.m. ET with live online video streaming from Amen Corner at Masters.com. Television coverage gets underway at 2 p.m. ET on CBS.

After beginning Saturday with a share of the lead, Fred Couples finds himself at seven strokes back at 2-under for the tournament. He and fellow second round leader Jason Dufner are scheduled to tee off at approximately 1:20 p.m. ET on Sunday.

Here is a complete rundown for Sunday's online and television coverage of the 2012 Masters:

Live Online Coverage At Masters.com

11:45 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Amen Corner live video coverage

12:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Featured Group 1 live video coverage
Featured Group 2 live video coverage

12:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Hole Nos 15 and 16 live video coverage

TV Broadcast Coverage

2:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Live Coverage on CBS

Follow our updates on the Masters at the story stream here. For additional news and notes around the PGA tour, visit the SB Nation golf hub page as well as Waggle Room.

2012 Masters: Tee Times, Pairings Set For Final Round

The final round tee times and pairings are set for the 2012 Masters, and judging by the way play went on Saturday if Sunday is anything close to that then there should be a crazy finish at Augusta. Fred Couples started the day at the top of the leaderboard but he struggled in the third round to drop down the leaderboard, however he did correct his play to not completely fall off the map and if he has a really good round on Sunday he could make a run.

Couples is sitting at 11th place and seven strokes behind the leader and he is paired with Jason Dufner who is also seven back. Both Couples and Dufner were the co-leaders heading into Saturday but now they are chasing Peter Hanson who is 9-under.

Here are notable tee times and pairings:

11:30 a.m. ET - Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh
12:00 p.m. ET - Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell
1:20 p.m. ET - Fred Couples, Jason Dufner
1:50 p.m. ET - Ian Poulter, Francesco Molinari
2:00 p.m. ET - Lee Westwood, Paul Lawrie
2:10 p.m. ET - Padraig Harrington, Henrik Stenson
2:20 p.m. ET - Matt Kuchar, Hunter Mahan
2:30 p.m. ET - Bubba Watson, Louis Oosthuizen
2:40 p.m. ET - Phil Mickelson, Peter Hanson

Here is a complete list of Sunday tee times and pairings.

You can view the live Masters leaderboard over at Golf.com.

For more on the 2012 Masters, go check out SB Nation's dedicated golf hub as well as this StoryStream. Also make sure to go visit SB Nation's golf blog, Waggle Room.

Masters 2012: Fred Couples Struggles In Round 3, Drops To 11th Place

Fred Couples entered Round 3 tie for first place but after a poor third round where he shot a 3-over par and dropped to 11th place. The front nine is where Couples struggled as he bogied the first two holes and had a double-bogie on the fifth hole, and from there it seemed that Couples was completely out of it.

Couples did make a comeback and shot a 1-under over the last 12 holes which included three birdies and another pair of bogies. This could have gone south very quickly for Couples, but he did pull his game together to recover fairly well over the final 12 holes.

However, the damage was done and Couples dropped to a tie for No. 11 and is seven strokes back heading into the final round.

You can view the live Masters leaderboard over at Golf.com.

For more on the 2012 Masters, go check out SB Nation's dedicated golf hub as well as this StoryStream. Also make sure to go visit SB Nation's golf blog, Waggle Room.

Masters 2012: Fred Couples Falling Out Of Contention

Heading into the third round of the 2012 Masters, former Houston Cougar Fred Couples was tied for the lead but he has had issues so far on Saturday. Through seven holes Couples is four-over par and one-over for the tournament and is now tied for 20th place.

Couples is not completely out of contention, but he is five strokes behind the current leader Matt Kuchar. His struggles began right from the start where he bogied the first two holes and then had a double bogie on hole No. 5.

If Couples is to get back near the leaderboard and be a contender for Sunday's final round he will need to turn around his game on the back nine.

You can view the live Masters leaderboard here.

For more on the 2012 Masters, go check out SB Nation's dedicated golf hub as well as this StoryStream. Also make sure to go visit Waggle Room.

Masters 2012: Tiger Woods Issues On Par-5 Holes Continue

Through the first 15 holes of Saturday's third round at the 2012 Masters, Tiger Woods remains at even par for the day and is tied for 39th with Kevin Na at 3-over par for the tournament. Once considered a strong suit of his, Woods inability to cash in on lengthy par-5's has cost him the opportunity to move up the leaderboards.

On the par-5 13th hole, Woods missed a long birdie putt from the edge of the green as it nipped the left lip of the hole. Over the last three years in Augusta, Woods has scored at least 10-under par on par-5 holes at the Masters, but so far in three rounds of action Woods has only managed a score of 1-under par on the same holes.

You can view the live Masters leaderboard here.

For more on the 2012 Masters, check out SB Nation's dedicated golf hub and this StoryStream.

2012 Masters: TV Coverage, How To Watch Online And More

The 2012 Masters continue on Saturday as cuts have been made and moving day is set to begin. National TV coverage doesn't begin until 3:30 p.m. (ET), but if you're itching for all that Masters magic before you can watch it on TV you're in luck because you can catch the action live on Masters.com beginning at 11:45 a.m.

This is good because the nation's most popular golfer, Tiger Woods, who is looking to bounce back from a rough outing on Friday, tees off with Charl Schwartzel this morning at 10:45 (ET). Phil Mickelson also tees off a couple hours before TV coverage is scheduled to begin.

Here's a rundown of the online coverage and when ESPN will begin its broadcast (all times Eastern):

11:45 a.m.: Amen Corner Coverage at Masters.com
12:30 p.m.: Featured groups one and two live coverage at Masters.com
12:30 p.m.: Holes No. 15 and 16 live coverage at Masters.com
3:30 p.m.: Live coverage begins on CBS

To see each golfer's first round scores, be sure to check out SI's leaderboard.

For more coverage on the 2012 Masters, be sure to check out SB Nation's golf hub, as well as Waggle Room, SB Nation's golf blog.

Masters 2012 Tee Times And Pairings For Third Round

Former Houston Cougar Fred Couples is participating in his 28th Masters tournament and he is in the lead with Jason Dufner after two rounds at 5-under par. There is a lot of golf to be played but if Couples can keep it up he would win his first Masters since he won back in 1992.

The top of the leader board is tight with Couples have a one-stroke lead over five different golfers which includes Sergio Garcia, Rory McIlory, Louis Oosthuizen and others. Phil Mickelson made a charge after a poor first round to shoot a 68 to put himself at 2-under and only three strokes back of the leaders.

Here are Saturday's Round 3 key pairings and tee times:

10:45 a.m.: Charl Schwartzel, Tiger Woods
1:15 p.m.: Sean O'Hair, Jonathan Byrd
1:35 p.m.: Peter Hanson, Aaron Baddeley
1:45 p.m.: Vijay Singh, Phil Mickelson
1:55 p.m.: Ben Crane, Charles Howell III
2:15 p.m.: Bubba Watson, Paul Lawrie
2:25 p.m.: Sergio Garcia, Rory McIlroy
2:35 p.m.: Louis Oosthuizen, Lee Westwood
2:45 p.m.: Jason Dufner, Fred Couples

To see each golfer's first round scores, be sure to check out Sports Illustrated's leaderboard.

For more coverage on the 2012 Masters, be sure to check out SB Nation's golf hub, as well as Waggle Room, SB Nation's golf blog.

2012 Masters Leaderboard: Fred Couples Tied For The Lead In Second Round

Fred Couples, so far, has turned out to have the best day in the second round of the Masters tournament. He came into the round with an even-par score, then went on a tear with birdies on holes No. 4, 8, 9, 15 and 16.

Tied for the lead with Couples is Jason Dufner, now that Rory McIlroy, Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia have all found their way off the top of the leaderboard. Westwood double-bogeyed the 18th hole, in which he approached with a one-stroke lead. Garcia bogeyed the final hole, which dropped him to to 4-under. McIlroy bogeyed on 17.

Couples is good position going into Day 3 of the tournament, and if the former University of Houston Cougar plays the way he did today throughout the duration of the tournament, Couples could win the tournament that he won 20 years ago.

Read more of our Masters coverage at the story stream here.

2012 Masters: TV Coverage, How To Watch Online And More

The second round of the 2012 Masters golf tournament is currently underway, and if you're a Houston area golf fan ready to see University of Houston alum and former tournament champion Fred Couples try to climb the leaderboard. Well, you're going to need to wait until at least 10:45 p.m. ET, because that's when Masters.com begins its online coverage at Amen Corner.

At about that time, the early-morning tee times will have completed front-9 play and will be making the turn to the back. First-round leader, Lee Westwood (5-under par), should be done with his first four or five holes, while Couples should be thru two. Tiger Woods doesn't tee off until 1:45 p.m., about an hour before ESPN begins its live coverage on television.

Here's a rundown of the online coverage and when ESPN will begin its broadcast (all times Eastern):

10:45 p.m.: Amen Corner live coverage at Masters.com.
11:45 p.m.: Holes No. 15 and 16 live coverage at Masters.com.
12:00 p.m.: Coverage of featured groups 1 and 2 begins at Masters.com.
3:00 p.m.: ESPN's live coverage begins.

To see each golfer's first round scores, be sure to check out SI's leaderboard.

For more coverage on the 2012 Masters, be sure to check out SB Nation's golf hub, as well as Waggle Room, SB Nation's golf blog.

Masters 2012 Tee Times And Pairings: Fred Couples A Part Of Mid-Morning Starts, Tiger Woods Second-To-Last Out

University of Houston alum and former Masters champion Fred Couples did what he does best at Augusta National Golf Club Thursday -- play well and stay in contention. Couple carded an even-par, 72, in round one of the Masters, and entering Friday finds himself amongst a group of players wanting to make a move up the leaderboard, which features England's Lee Westwood a top at 5-under par.

Couples will tee of at 10:13 am on Friday and will be playing with day-one partners Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke and Japan's Ryo Ishikawa. Meanwhile, Tiger Woods (1-under par) has a tee time of 1:45 p.m., Phil Mickelson (2-over par) will begin at 10:46 a.m. and Rory McIlroy (1-under par) starts at 10:35 p.m.

Here's the rest of the Masters round-two tee times and pairings.

For more coverage on the 2012 Masters, be sure to check out SB Nation's golf hub, as well as Waggle Room, SB Nation's golf blog.

2012 Masters Leaderboard Update: Lee Westwood Leads, Tiger Woods Shoots Even Par

The opening round of the 2012 Masters is in the books, and there's a familiar face sitting alone atop the leaderboard. Lee Westwood, who ended Tiger Woods' reign as No. 1 golfer in the world in 2010, leads the field after shooting a 67, which is good for -5.

Louis Oosthuizen sits alone in second place after shooting a 68 in the opening round. Oosthuizen went into the clubhouse as the leader with his -4, but would soon be ousted by Westwood.

Tiger Woods, who is looking to continue his comeback, finished the day even par after shooting a 72. Woods was sitting at -2 headed into the 17th hole, but bogeyed the last two holes to finish the day even par.

To see each golfer's first round scores, be sure to check out SI's leaderboard.

For more coverage on the 2012 Masters, be sure to check out SB Nation's golf hub, as well as Waggle Room, SB Nation's golf blog.

2012 Masters: Mark O'Meara Withdraws Due To Rib Cage Injury

One Houston resident won't be claiming the green jacket at the 2012 Masters. Mark O'Meara withdrew from the Masters early on Thursday morning because of a pulled muscle in his rib cage.

Mark O'Meara has withdrawn from the Masters with a pulled muscle in his ribs.

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 5, 2012

O'Meara was set to tee off at 10:08 a.m. CT, but withdrew before he even took his first swing. O'Meara has won the Masters before, winning the major event in 1998. O'Meara also won The Open Championship in 1998 as well.

There are a slew of other golfers in the tournament with Houston ties, though. Fred Couples, Ben Crenshaw, Ryan Palmer, Harrison Frazar, and Anders Hansen are all in the tournament and are variously linked to the Houston area.

For more on coverage on the 2012 Masters, head over to SB Nation's golf hub, as well as SB Nation's golf blog, Waggle Room.

2012 Masters Leaderboard Update

It wasn't the best showing for Fred Couples and the five other golfers with ties to the Houston area in the opening round of the 2012 Masters. Couples, along with Ben Crenshaw, Ryan Palmer, Harrison Frazar, and Anders Hansen all find themselves on the wrong side of the leaderboard.

Couples currently sits +1 through the first 12 holes, five strokes behind leader Louis Oosthuizen, who finished the first round -4.

Palmer and Frazar finished the first round +3, while Crenshaw along with Hansen finished the first round +4.

Mark O'Meara, who resides in Houston, withdrew from the tournament because of a strained muscle in his rib cage.

The most famous golfer in the world, Tiger Woods, finished his first round at even par, four strokes behind Oosthuizen. Woods sat at -2 through the first 16 holes before bogeying both 17 and 18.

For more on the 2012 Masters, be sure to check out SB Nation's golf hub, as well as golf blog, Waggle Room.

2012 Masters: Fred Couples, Houston Area Golfers Look To Claim Green Jacket

Fred Couples is among the golfers with ties to the Houston area competing in the 2012 Masters.