Palmer honored just to compete

The Journal Sentinel staff

Augusta, Ga. The week started on an emotional high and ended two days earlier than he would have liked.

Arnold Palmer missed the cut in the Masters for the 12th consecutive year, shooting a 1-over- par 73 Friday after opening with a 79.

But as he trudged up the steep hill on No. 18 at the Augusta National Golf Club, Palmer who put this place on the map had the warm fuzzies.

"It's always nice to be here," the 65-year-old king of golf said. "The enjoyment I get out of being here, the fun, the competition . . . all of that makes it a very special place."

The club honored Palmer in a ceremony Tuesday, dedicating a plaque that will be placed on the 16th hole. Only Ben Hogan, Gene Sarazen and Byron Nelson have been similarly honored.

As it turned out, Palmer birdied No. 16, a 170-yard par-3 hole, both days. He had only three other birdies in 36 holes.

"I said to my caddie, `If they put up a plaque on every hole, maybe I can play this course,' " Leg 1 ends here Palmer joked.

Somebody asked Palmer what he thought about 19-year-old Tiger Woods hitting the 500-yard 15th hole with a driver and 9- iron on Thursday, and he didn't miss a beat.

"My reaction to that is, that's my problem," Palmer said with a laugh. "I can't get there with two drivers, and I tried that today.

"In my day, I could do things like that."

In his day, Palmer could do anything. He won 60 PGA Tour events and 19 foreign titles. He won the Masters four times in a seven-year span (1958-'64) and once had a string of 11 consecutive top-10 finishes here.

"That victory in '58 was the beginning of a lot of great things," Palmer said, almost wistfully.

Instead of beginnings, Palmer now is at the point of his career when he is talking about endings. He played in his final U.S. Open last year in Oakmont, Pa., and plans to play in his final British Open in July in St. Andrews, Scotland.

But he has said he will return to Augusta each spring to play in the Masters "as long as I can walk."

One thing is for certain: They Leg 2 ends here won't turn him away at the gate.

Tiger talk: Woods was the only one of five amateurs to make the cut, but he had mixed feelings after shooting a second straight even-par 72 for a 144 total.

"Being the low amateur was one of my goals coming in here, so I'm happy with that," Woods said. "But I still feel like I should be a couple under par."

Woods, a freshman at Stanford University, had never made the cut in seven previous PGA Tour appearances.

"I feel happy but also a little disappointed," he said. "I've driven it so well. I've got short irons into all these holes, but I'm just making pars. I know where to put it (on the greens); I'm just not hitting it there."

Silent Shark: Greg Norman shot a 68 and quietly moved into contention at 3-under 141, six shots behind leader Jay Haas.

"Don't count Greg Norman out," warned Davis Love III.

Remembering Harvey: Ben Crenshaw spent a good portion of his interview session talking about his mentor, golf instructor Harvey Penick, who died Sunday at 90.

"Me and Tom (Kite) have dreaded this day for a long time," Crenshaw said. "It's emo Leg 3 ends here tional when you lose somebody you owe your life to. Whatever Tom and I have accomplished, we owe to him."

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