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Norman gets another shot at elusive green jacket

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- For years Greg Norman came to Augusta National as the favorite to win the Masters.

A green jacket seemed like only a matter of time for a man who seemingly contended every year.

Now 47, time is running out for the hard-luck Norman, who needed a special invitation to get into the tournament. "I'm just happy to be here," he said.

Norman got his name on the leaderboard Thursday in the first round and finished with 1-under-par 71 that perhaps will lead to another chance at a win. He was tied for 18th, four back of leader Davis Love. Norman has finished second three times and third three times at Augusta National.

"I don't know whether it owes you anything," Norman said of the Masters. "If you come out here and you play hard and produce the goods and get into position and get a good break at the end of the tournament and turn out winning, yeah, everybody would say it all evens out in the long run.

"As long as I'm there at the end of the day, great. And if it doesn't work out, I've had a great time here."

Norman is playing in his 22nd Masters. Among those in the field, only Tom Kite, playing his 26th, has played more without winning. Kite probably will match Gene Littler's record of 26 Masters without a win.

AN UNUSUAL START: The tournament got off to a bizarre start. Three-time champion Sam Snead, 89, was the lone honorary starter. Having suffered a mild stroke six weeks ago, Snead needed help teeing his ball but put his legendary fluid swing on it.

Unfortunately the ball veered to the right, striking an unidentified spectator and breaking his glasses. The spectator needed treatment for abrasions.

FROM JONES TO WOODS: Arnold Palmer said today will be his last round at the Masters and reminisced about 48 years worth of tournaments, including his relationship with Bobby Jones, the tournament and course co-founder and winner of the 1930 Grand Slam (U.S. Open and Amateur, British Open and Amateur). Palmer's era reaches back to Jones and spans time to Tiger Woods.

"There will come a point in time where it will be neat to be able to tell my grandkids that I played with the great Arnold Palmer," Woods said. "One of the memories I will always take away was my first Masters in 1995, when I was able to play a practice round with Arnold and Jack (Nicklaus). I didn't really know anything. We played a skins game all around the golf course, and Arnold birdied the last hole to take all the skins.

"Then Arnold comes up to me, puts his arm around my shoulder and says, "Let's go play the par-3 course.' I'm not going to say no. It was a neat memory for me."

ROOM TO SPARE: The added length to Augusta National has been well-documented, with an extra 285 yards stretching the course to 7,270. And it seems most of it was used in the first round. With damp conditions and soft greens, tournament officials apparently saw fit to play most of the tees back. David Duval joked about it.

"They gave you enough room to take a practice swing without hitting the patrons," said Duval, who shot 74.

ROOKIE'S VIEW: Masters rookie Charles Howell, an Augusta native, shot 74 and noted the difference between practice and the real thing.

"It was almost surreal," he said. "I wasn't nervous, but I can tell you I wasn't normal. I glanced at the scoreboard and saw my name and thought, "Wow.' "

FROM TEE TO GREEN: Two-time champion Tom Watson, 52, shot 71. ... Padraig Harrington, who played the last six holes in 3-over par, was given a slow-play warning on the 16th hole. ... Hal Sutton, who hasn't finished better than 10th at the Masters, withdrew before the round because of a pulled muscle on his right side. ... U.S. Amateur champion Bubba Dickerson, who played the first round with defending champion Woods and shot 79, said he will turn pro at the conclusion of the tournament. By doing so Dickerson will forfeit spots in this year's U.S. Open and British Open. Dickerson played on the University of Florida's national championship team last year.

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