Somewhere among the clouds hanging over Augusta National Golf Club Friday, Bobby Jones must have been smiling.
Golf's greatest amateur and Augusta National co-founder Jones would have loved watching four amateurs make the cut in the 63rd Masters Tournament. Spaniard Sergio Garcia and 44-year-old Tom McKnight each made the 4-over-par 148 cut with two-round scores of 147.
Last year's low amateur, Matt Kuchar, and South African Trevor Immelman slipped into weekend play by shooting 148.
``Matt Kuchar said in the amateurs dinner that there is a very high level of amateur players,'' Garcia said. ``We demonstrated that.''
A quartet of amateurs hasn't made the cut since 1985. The last time five played on the weekend was in 1978. Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson represent a quarter of the amateurs who completed the four-round tournament in the 1990s.
Kuchar, hampered by a flulike illness this week,saw a resurgence Friday beginning at Amen Corner. The Georgia Tech junior entered the day 5-over-par but birdied Nos. 12 and 14 and eagled No. 13.
He admitted his nerves almost failed him, but after waking up feeling about 85 percent Friday, he rallied to make it into the weekend field.
``I was thinking about Byron Nelson and his birdie, eagle at 12 and 13,'' Kuchar said, referring to Nelson's mastery of Amen Corner in 1937. ``Sure enough I birdied out and then bunkered out. I only needed to use my putter once on those three holes.''
McKnight, a Galax, Va., resident, saved his round on No. 8. He drove in the fairway bunker, blasted out and then holed his 8-iron third shot for eagle. It was the lone bright spot in Nos. 6-12 where he had six bogeys and an eagle.
``It just happened to turn out like you dream,'' McKnight said.``Then I gave them away faster than I was getting them.''
Woods complimented Garcia for keeping his poise while bogeying three of the final five holes.
``I was impressed with the way he hung in there,'' the 1997 Masters champion said. ``He never took any chances, which I was very impressed by.''
South African Trevor Immelman survived a dip in the water hazard on No. 11. The 19-year-old wasn't disappointed with his shot, it was the whirling winds that did him in.
``When I saw it go into the water, I thought, `There it goes,''' Immelman said. ``I managed to keep my chin up. It wasn't a miss-hit. The gusting winds here at Augusta National will grab the ball. It claimed another victim here today.''
Immelman shot a 4-over-par 76 on Friday after shooting even-par 72 on Thursday. He made the cut despite three-putting on No. 5 and No. 6. He was relieved to stay within four shots of par after two rounds at the treacherous Augusta National.
Hank Kuehne and John Miller missed the cut. Miller was 18-over-par after two rounds while Kuehne completed his initial trip at 8-over-par.
Kuehne, the vibrant 19-year-old Southern Methodist University senior, came unraveled at the 15th hole with a double bogey. He closed out his round with two bogeys.
Four amateurs make cut