BY BRENDAN JAMES at Augusta National GC

In 1986, Jack Nicklaus defied the odds in winning his sixth Masters title – his 18th major championship – aged 46 years, two months and 23 days. To this day, he remains he oldest winner of the Masters.

But sweet-swinging 54-year-old Fred Couples believes he still has the game to overcome the ‘flat bellies’ and win at Augusta – 22 years after he won the Masters the first time. Once again he belied his years in crafting a one-under-par 71 to sit just outside the top-10 and just three shots back from leader Bill Haas.

Fred Couples says his game is well-suited to Augusta, which is why he always seems to be near the lead in the opening rounds. PHOTO: Getty Images

The secret to his success is his love for the famed layout, which inspires him with each visit.

"Can a 50-year-old win here? I think so. I'm one of them," said Couples, whose laid back ‘coolness’ had him receiving standing ovations at every hole during the first round.

"I'm not here just to play golf. I love the course and I would say my 71 is in pretty darn good shape."

Couples, 54, is playing in his 30th Masters and his presence so close to the leaders shouldn’t really surprise given how well he has played Augusta in recent years.

The three-time Presidents Cup captain has finished in the top-15 each of the last three years, holding the 36-hole lead in 2012 on his way to a tie for 12th. In 2010, he finished sixth. In 29 Masters appearances, he has an astonishing 11 top-10 finishes.

Couples, who claimed his 10th Champions Tour victory earlier this year, admitted he was behind the eight-ball in terms of playing at a higher level after competing regularly on the senior tour where the level of challenge is less extreme.

"It's hard for me personally to play a course this hard day after day after day after day for four solid rounds," he said. "But my goal is to compete with these guys and not really worry about them.

"I'm happy with what I shot," said Couples, who bogeyed the difficult par-3 12th as well as the par-4 17th.

"If I play well, I can compete with them and maybe with nine holes to go, I hit four unbelievable shots and do something good.”

He said the course is getting firmer under foot and the harder it gets, the better it will be for him.

“I can tell you this much: That it's going to be really hard to go out and play tomorrow, because it's drying up pretty quickly.  So for us to think we had a pretty good tee time this morning, the last couple of greens, 17's getting rock hard, and it will be difficult,” he said.

“But I like that. I'm not really worried about some guy going out and shooting seven under because there's nothing I can do about it.

Couples says his love of he course also inspires him to play well at the Masters. PHOTO: Getty Images

“I love the course and I need to keep playing like I am. When that day stops, then I can be a sacrificial lamb around here and just walk around. But really, personally, I feel like I can play this course.”

Two-time Masters Champion Ben Crenshaw, who struggled to an 83, agrees.

"Fred loves this place. I wouldn't be surprised if he stays in there most of the week," he said.