AUGUSTA — Jack Nicklaus never wanted any part of ceremony.
That much was obvious Thursday evening when he marched right out to the range to hit practice balls after his round while his playing partners, 70-year-old Arnold Palmer and 65-year-old Gary Player, sat in an interview room talking nostalgia.
When Nicklaus finally arrived to the room and was asked about the nostalgic threesome, he said, “I don’t really pay much attention to it. I mean, it was nice and the gallery was terrific, but … I’m a funny duck, I suppose. I come here to play golf.”
And win.
Nicklaus wouldn’t say as much, but he privately seethed when he took a first look at the Masters pairings and saw that he was put with Palmer, who hasn’t made a Masters cut since 1983, and Player, who missed nine of the last 12 cuts.
After his 2-over 74 on Thursday, Nicklaus, who’s missed only two cuts in 37 Masters as a professional, joked that “they wouldn’t have paired the three of us together if they thought any of us had a chance.”
Yesterday, though, on the heels of an inspiring 2-under 70, Nicklaus not only made the cut a year after missing the Masters while recovering from hip surgery but he’s got himself in position to contend over the weekend.
He’s a mere six shots behind David Duval, and the way he’s played, striking the ball beautifully, though not getting any breaks on the greens, Nicklaus said he feels like he should be leading the tournament.
“Jack played unbelievable golf today,” said Player, who shot 74 and missed the cut. “Jack always does the unexpected. Nothing surprises me with Jack.”
Said Loren Roberts, “How can you not consider him a serious contender on this golf course? You’re talking about the greatest golf mind that we have ever had. Jack can think his way around here and be competitive.”
Jeff Sluman said, “I think he can beat anybody right now. You can never underestimate Jack Nicklaus.”
Tom Lehman called Nicklaus’ appearance on the leader board at age 60 “remarkable.”
Nicklaus said of yesterday’s round, “The whole thing was a highlight.”
Asked point-blank if, had it not been for a couple bad breaks and some close-shave putts that haven’t dropped, he thinks he should be leading the tournament, he said, “I think I should be. I’m not, but I feel like I should be. I certainly have played a lot better than what my score is.”
Asked about his chances this weekend, Nicklaus said, “I have a lot better chance now than I did Thursday, because I’ve gotten rid of a lot of guys. I’ve still got a lot of guys there, but I’ve got a chance.”
In 1986, when Nicklaus won here at age 46, he opened with 74-71. This year he’s at 74-70 through two rounds.
“I’m 14 years older,” Nicklaus said. “But I don’t ever feel a whole lot different. I believe in myself when I play here.”
He has a lot of people around here believing.