ESPN.com - Golf Online - Masters 2000 - Nicklaus gets into thick of things

Associated Press
Friday, April 7

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- As his 30-foot downhill putt disappeared into the cup, Jack Nicklaus thrust his arms up and looked skyward.


	Jack Nicklaus will play the weekend after a 70 left him at even-par.

The crowd roared and his name went up on the leaderboard.

Indeed, Jack was back at The Masters, and not just for nostalgia's sake.

Over a heart-pumping four hours at Augusta National on Friday, the 60-year-old Golden Bear shot a 2-under 70 to finish at even-par after two rounds. He became the first 60-or-over player to break par at Augusta since Sam Snead shot 71 in 1975.

Even more significant -- Nicklaus is still in contention for a seventh green jacket. He's six strokes behind leader David Duval and, as always, wondering if he could have been closer.

"I don't know whether I should be leading it, but I certainly played better than what my score is," Nicklaus said. "I putted much better than what my score is. I haven't hit a bad putt yet. Maybe what I think is a good putt isn't good."

There was no disputing the one on No. 9 -- a long, double-breaker that would have run back into the fairway had the hole not stopped it. That was the capper on a front side he played at 3-under to move below par for the first time in the tournament.

Other highlights included the shot he knocked to two feet on the par-3 fourth hole for his first birdie of the tournament; then another shot he hit to eight feet on No. 7 for his second birdie.

But why limit it to just a few holes?

"I thought the whole thing was a highlight," Nicklaus said.

Just like so many of his trips to Augusta.

It was only two years ago that he stayed near the top of the leaderboard until late Sunday, electrifying the gallery before settling for sixth. And it was 14 years ago that Nicklaus won his sixth green jacket at age 46.

Both of those times, he stood at 1-over 145 heading into the weekend, one stroke off the pace he set over the first two days this time.

A good sign?

"If you had asked me that question Wednesday, I'd have said, `This old geezer doesn't have a chance of doing anything,' " Nicklaus said. "If you ask me the question Friday, I say, `Yeah, I'm going out there to play good golf. I feel pretty young.' "

It was only a month ago Nicklaus' game was a self-described mess, flawed by the hip surgery that restored his range of motion, but also forced him to relearn parts of his swing he hadn't executed in years.

He felt the game slowly coming into shape last week at the Tradition. He shot a 5-under 67 in the final round there.

Then came Augusta, a course with which he is intimately familiar, and one he says suits his game as well as any in the world, except maybe Pebble Beach.

"My goal has always been to get here and do this," Nicklaus said. "That's what I've done all my life. I prepare in the spring to play for The Masters."

Over the first two days Nicklaus played with Arnold Palmer and Gary Player, a threesome drawn together seemingly more for their history than for what they might do this week.

All but Nicklaus played along.

"He's a young fella," said the 70-year-old Palmer. "He's still got a lot of zip yet. He's putting well, but it could have been a lot better."

The best part is, he has the whole weekend to work on it.


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