Who can blame the Masters Tournament committee for crafting this magical threesome? Even though it was only two Aprils ago when Jack Nicklaus, at age 58, made everyone believers that a seventh green jacket was possible.
But that was before Nicklaus turned 60. That was before the Golden Bear got a new left hip.
``And I haven't played worth 10 cents since then either,'' Nicklaus said of his ailing game in the wake of hip replacement surgery in January 1999. The procedure forced him to miss the Masters Tournament last year for the first time since 1959.
So Nicklaus can easily understand why he and fellow legends Arnold Palmer and Gary Player were grouped together for the first two days of the first Masters of the 21st Century.
But after two days of standing ovations from huge galleries that followed the ceremonious Big Three pairing, it is Nicklaus who stands alone as he tries to pull one more storybook run at a seventh Masters title out of his bag.
With his 2-under-par 70 in Friday's second round, Nicklaus is at even-par for the tournament, six shots back of leader David Duval heading into today's third round.
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Nicklaus is playing better than his score
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The last time a player 60-or-older broke par at the Masters was in 1975, when 62-year-old Sam Snead fired an opening-round 71.
``This tournament seems to do something to pump me up,'' Nicklaus said. ``I wish I could play one of these every week.''
The 64-year-old Player shot a solid 2-over-par 74 on Friday to go to 6-over-150 for the tournament, missing the cut by two strokes.
``These were the most memorable 36 holes of my life,'' said Player, a three-time Masters champion who has made just one Masters cut since 1994.
``I feel a little sad because I played so well and would loved to have made the cut at 64 years of age.''
Palmer, a four-time Masters champ, also missed the cut after following his 78 on Thursday with an 82 on Friday. The 70-year-old Palmer hasn't made a Masters cut since 1983.
``My round wasn't good score-wise, but I feel I'm hitting the ball better and played better than my score,'' Palmer said. ``Jack, he played wonderfully. A couple of breaks here and there and he would've been well under par.''
Nicklaus agreed. The number he posted didn't reflect the round he played.
``I don't know whether I should be leading, but I've certainly played a lot better than what my score is,'' Nicklaus said. ``I felt like I've putted better than what my score is. I haven't hit a bad putt yet.''
Nicklaus said the hip replacement surgery has taken some getting used to. He had to rediscover his old golf swing and just started gaining confidence in it last week at the Senior Tradition.
``I can release the club now, my body doesn't bail out anymore,'' Nicklaus said. ``I haven't been able to do that in seven or eight years.''
Could anyone have expected Nicklaus to contend when the week began, what with the Big Three pairing billed as a trip down memory lane?
``I don't think anybody realistically thought I'd have a chance at age 60, and I think that pairing was very realistic,'' Nicklaus said. ``If I were part of the committee, I'd look at the three old guys out there and probably put us together.''
Nicklaus is also being realistic about his chances this weekend.
``Do I think I'm going to win the tournament? Probably not,'' he said. ``That doesn't mean I'm not going to try.''
Nicklaus lone survivor of Big Three
