At 65, Fred Couples is one of the oldest former Masters Tournament champions still playing in the event. But Couples has missed the cut in four of his last five starts at Augusta National, and the prospect of embarrassment does not sit well with him.But that moment hasn't come yet. Not only does Couples think so, but so do the organizers of the season's first major championship.The player himself told Golfweek that after missing the cut at Augusta National a year ago with scores of 80 and 76 in the first two rounds, he spoke with Masters chief tournament officer Steve Ethun, who assured him that his presence in the field would be more than welcome."I told Steve two things," Couples told Golfweek. "First, that I don't want to embarrass myself. And that I'm certainly not going to embarrass Augusta National. Steve goes, 'We already know that. We want you to keep playing.' I can't tell you how much my blood pressure went down."Couples said he realizes his chances of contending for the most coveted title in golf world are virtually nil. However, he said he has a powerful goal that motivates him to continue his annual encounter with Augusta National."I can't compete with Viktor Hovland or Jon Rahm or anybody, but I can compete with myself, and that's really why I come," he said. "That's what I like to do: make the cut at an older age."Couples himself holds the record as the oldest player to make the cut at The Masters Tournament when he did so in 2023 at the age of 63 years and 168 days. But he has an even more impressive mark in his sights.He is one of four former champions from the 1990s still playing at Augusta National. The other three are Bernhard Langer, who has already said that 2025 will be his last as a player; Jose Maria Olazabal, who is six years younger than Couples and nine years younger than Langer; and Tiger Woods, who is even younger.Four other former champions from that decade are no longer playing the event: Sir Nick Faldo, Ian Woosnam, Ben Crenshaw and Mark O'Meara.Couples won the 1992 edition of the Masters Tournament with a 13-under 275, two strokes ahead of Raymond Floyd. The 15-time PGA Tour winner was in contention throughout the event, but did not take the lead until seven holes into the final round.Couples played the last 11 holes with three birdies and no bogeys and withstood pressure from his rivals to take the title. In doing so, he confirmed his pre-tournament favoritism, entering the event as the World No. 1 and with the best odds in the sportsbooks at the time.Since that time, the golf world has marveled at his play and his likability.More Golf: Akshay Bhatia's Maturity on Display After Players Championship