Ames Moves Up, Weir Hangs Tough At The Masters

Campbell and Perry are together at 9-under-par 135. Campbell added a second-round 70 Friday to his opening 65 while Perry shot 67 in a bogey-free round which included a birdie-birdie start and three more on the back.

Both are one stroke ahead of Argentina's Angel Cabrera (68-68--136) and two ahead of Todd Hamilton (68-70).

On a day when coping with swirling winds would have been more than enough for most pros to contend with, Ames played inspired golf during his walk at Augusta paired during the first two rounds with the legendary Black Knight from South Africa, 73-year-old Gary Player, who was performing in his final Masters after 52 years.

"I was getting tears coming up 18, I'll tell you that," Ames told CanWest columnist Cam Cole after his round of 68 moved him into a tie for 11th, six strokes back of the leaders. "It was awesome,"

As Cole wrote in his Saturday column:
A phalanx of South African players stood behind the green as Player played his final hole, and applauded the man who helped make golf a global game and traveled the world selling its gospel.

Ames hit a lovely eight-iron approach to 10 feet, and then began walking up the hill toward the green.

"Halfway up, I said to him, 'After you,' but he said, "No, no, come join me' and we walked up together. He was just the perfect gentleman -- standing ovation at every green, and he handled it all so beautifully. It was never about him, it was about his playing partners and the galleries.

"It was a great honour. His stature in the game, what he means to this place, he belongs up there with Nicklaus and Palmer, even as far back as Hogan."

"It's very touching to have such great support on every hole," said Player. "I leave with a sadness, but I leave with great joy."

In his 52-year-Masters career---a record for number of Tournaments played---Player completed 165 rounds. He had six top three finishes with victories in 1961, the first ever by an international player, 1974 and 1978.

"It's very touching to have such great support on every hole," said Player. "I leave with a sadness, but I leave with great joy."

"I don't know if you should look at what I have meant to the Masters, you should look at what the Masters has meant to me," said Player, who wiped tears from his eyes afterward.

Player and Zoeller, who won the 1979 Masters in his first try, both received a huge ovation coming up the 18th fairway. Player knelt when he arrived at the putting surface to show his appreciation. After 31 years of playing in the Masters, Zoeller called the walk up 18 one of the greatest thrills of his life.

Anthony Kim, a Masters rookie, moved into contention with 65, a round that featured a record 11 birdies, one more than Nick Price had in the third round in 1986. Kim shot 65 and is at 140, four-under-par.

Four-time Masters Champion Tiger Woods shot even par 72 with a bogey five at the final hole and is at 142, two-under-par.

T1 - Chad Campbell, 65-70--135
T1 - Kenny Perry, 68-67--135
T11 - Stephan Ames, 73-68--141
T19 - Tiger Woods, 70-72--142
T28 - Mike Weir, 68-75--143