Norman, Faldo Go Home for Weekend

Say goodbye once again to Greg Norman, who for the second year in a row failed to make the cut at the Masters.

Norman’s rounds of 76-78--154 missed the cut--the highest at the Masters in 10 years--by four shots.

Norman has failed to make the weekend in three of his last five majors.

“I’m frustrated,” he said. “It didn’t go my way this week. I’ll get on my horse and go home.”

When he gets there, Norman is going to put his clubs away. He said he isn’t going to play for a month to rest his sore shoulder that forced him to pull out of the Players Championship.

Norman said his shoulder did not bother him during the Masters, but he is going to schedule an MRI exam and visit a specialist.

Joining Norman on the sideline is Nick Faldo, the three-time Masters champion, who missed a two-foot putt on the last hole and missed the cut by one shot.

Vijay Singh also missed the cut, ending his streak of 53.

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So who needs a real putter? Certainly not Stuart Appleby, who putted with a two-iron the last 14 holes Friday.

Despite making two birdies with the converted putter, Appleby missed the cut after rounds of 77-77. His two-iron was forced into action on the greens after Appleby missed a four-footer for par on the fourth hole, then tossed his putter and bent the shaft when he caught it.

“I couldn’t believe I did such a little thing and had such a big result,” said Appleby, who briefly considered using his driver or his wedge as a putter.

“I was pretty hacked off,” he said. “But I’ve been pretty angry much of the last two days.”

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In his 44th Masters, 68-year-old Arnold Palmer missed the cut for the 15th consecutive time with a 79-87--166, 22 over par.

Palmer’s 87 was his second-worst at the Masters. He had a first-round 89 in 1997.

“It’s a disaster,” Palmer said.

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Since he had turned in a 79 in the first round, Craig Stadler did not hesitate when asked if he had a number in mind Friday.

“Yeah, nine-thirty,” said Stadler, who explained that was the departure time for his flight at Atlanta.

Stadler needs to book himself on a later flight after his second-round 68 helped him make the cut.

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Here were the pertinent numbers for Gary Player--62 and 72. Player, 62, shot 72 Friday after an opening 77 and made the cut for the second time in the last seven years.

Player (62 years 5 months 9 days) becomes the oldest to make the cut at the Masters. Snead made the cut in 1974 at 61.

Gay Brewer, who is 66 and shot a 72 Thursday, would have been the oldest to make the cut, but he shot an 86 Friday.