By Tom Corwin
Staff Writer
Augusta Chronicle

Ben Crenshaw's gallery Friday was like a park symphony crowd that didn't mind when the maestro occasionally went off-beat.

Greg Norman's gallery was more like a rock concert with the crowd yearning for the star to tear up the stage. It was like night and day, or rather, morning and afternoon, between the genteel followers of defending Masters Tournament champion Crenshaw and those trailing the rampaging Shark.

About 400-500 people went around the course with Crenshaw in the morning, attracted by his sense of golf history and love for Augusta National Golf Club. ``This is his favorite course and people respect that,'' said Charlie Crenshaw, Ben's brother, as he watched Ben birdie No. 2.

``Everybody loves him, he's got a great personality,'' said James ``Slick'' Street, a fellow Texan who quarterbacked the University of Texas to a national championship in 1969.

Another Texan, Dr. Ned Dudney of League City, strained the gallery ropes on No. 10 to watch Crenshaw tee off.

``He's a great lover of the history of golf,'' said Dudney, 70, of League City, Texas. ``And he knows the names of all the shrubs'' at Augusta National. A minute later, Crenshaw became more than familiar with a dogwood tree as he clipped off a branch trying to chip up onto the green.

The end came at No. 12, where Crenshaw hit two balls into the water and ended up with a six. Still, Russ Sprickard followed him, the way he has ever since Crenshaw came to the Masters in 1972.

``He's great with the gallery and great for the game of golf,'' said Spickard, 72, of Hoopeston, Ill.

From the quiet of the morning, the crowds built around the first tee so that by the time Norman and Phil Mickelson teed off as the last group, spectators were backed up 20-deep on the sides. Several thousand followed the pair as they walked down the fairway, a much younger crowd than Crenshaw's, looking for action.

``Norman's the only guy that can run away from the crowd'' of golfers, said Ken Dardis, 32, of Stamford, Conn.

``I like his hat. He's a rock star,'' Dardis said.

There are other advantages to falling in with the Norman crowd, said John Kvernland, 45, of Larchmont, N.Y.

``All the good-looking women,'' he said.

The style and flair of Norman is what caught the eye of Marigene Gaskins and Sheila Weaver, both ``30-something,'' although they were a little disappointed in the tan hat he chose Friday. ``Yesterday he had a black hat that showed his face better,'' Ms. Weaver said.

Some among the throng pulled for Mickelson, like fellow left-hander Herman Roberson, 40, of Cross, S.C.

``They say lefties can't play golf, but we can,'' Roberson said.

``He looks like a nice guy,'' added Steve James, 46, of Charleston, S.C. ``He looks like he ate his vegetables and listened to his mother.''

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