Masters Insider

INTERVIEW WITH JACK NICKLAUS

Six-time Masters Tournament winner Jack Nicklaus performed honorary starter duties Thursday morning alongside fellow Big Three members Arnold Palmer and Gary Player.

“Well, I hit one shot and that was about it,” Nicklaus said. “That’s all it is. You warm up, hit a shot and they say, ‘OK, bye-bye, now we’re going to have the tournament.’ ”

Thousands of patrons ringed the first tee, but it was three PGA Tour members who caught Nicklaus’ eye.

“We were very flattered that Rickie Fowler and Bubba Watson and Keegan Bradley came out to watch us,” he said. “It was a nice morning. It’s still early to get up and whack a golf ball.”

He was impressed by Palmer, who hadn’t hit a golf ball in five months.

“He said he hit it farther than he can see it, and he said his eyesight’s pretty bad,” Nicklaus said.

Player outdrove Nicklaus this year, and Nicklaus was amused by the competitive nature of his South African friend.

“Gary gets a big kick out of that,” Nicklaus said. “Gary hit the ball farther than I did this time. I hit it on the end of the toe, which didn’t go anyplace. It was down the middle. I didn’t realize we were still in a contest.”

Nicklaus, 75, is still busier than ever with his business interests. He is doing some television work for Sky Sports this week, and he recently launched a line of ice cream in partnership with Schwan’s Global Supply Chain. The pint-size ice cream is available at Bi-Lo, Kroger and Winn-Dixie stores in selected markets and comes in seven flavors.

“It’s doing fine,” Nicklaus said. “We have them here in Augusta, don’t we? It’s had a very nice reception.”

HISTORY LESSON

The Masters has always had a limited field, but in 1957 it instituted a 36-hole cut, with the low 40 players and ties moving on.

In 1962, the cut was changed to low 44 and ties. In 1966, the cut was amended to let anyone within 10 shots of the lead at the midway point advance to the final two rounds.

In 2013, Augusta National and Masters Chairman Billy Payne announced that the cut would be expanded to include the top 50 players and ties, plus anyone within 10 strokes of the leader.

THE LIST

Ben Crenshaw’s illustrious Masters playing career will come to an end Friday. In tribute to “Gentle Ben,” here are five Masters-related facts about the two-time Masters winner:

5 Crenshaw stayed in the Crow’s Nest as an amateur and is one of a handful of champions who have had that experience.

4 In 1973, he tied the record for low front nine by an amateur with 4-under 32.

3 In 1987, he won the Par-3 Contest and almost broke the jinx, finishing tied for fourth and one shot out of a playoff.

2 His 44 consecutive starts are fourth all-time, behind only Gary Player, Doug Ford and Raymond Floyd.

1 He is the oldest second-time champion at 43 years, 2 months and 29 days.