By Ward Clayton
Sports Editor
Augusta Chronicle

Jack Nicklaus, the six-time Masters champion, was one of the last players to arrive at the Augusta National Golf Club Tuesday. He played a late afternoon practice round with Hale Irwin, who he outdueled last week to win the Senior Tradition tournament.

The pairings for Thursday's first round were also released Tuesday afternoon. The feature twosomes include Tom Watson and Steve Elkington, 12:21 p.m.; defending champion Ben Crenshaw and two-time U.S. Amateur champion Tiger Woods at 12:30; Nicklaus and Michael Campbell of New Zealand at 12:57; Davis Love III and Colin Montgomerie of Scotland at 1:24; Fred Couples and British Amateur champion Gordon Sherry at 1:33; and Fuzzy Zoeller and Greg Norman at 2.

3:30 PM Update:

Most of the field was in town by noon on Tuesday as cool and windy temperatures under sunny skies hit the Augusta National Golf Club.

Arnold Palmer, the 66-year-old four-time champion, was honored with Arnold Palmer Day by Augusta-Richmond County. He was given a key to the city and 7-foot bronze statue was unveiled on Riverwalk in downtown Augusta with Arnie in attendance. The statue depicts Palmer staring down the 10th fairway in the early 1960s as he prepares to make a patented back-nine charge on Sunday afternoon.