Big names left behind

Sergio Garcia might be the best player to never win a major. Padraig Harrington felt it was his time to contend on one of golf’s grandest stages. Charles Howell III grew up near Augusta National.

None will be wearing the green jacket today. They won’t even be allowed to play.

Garcia, Harrington and Howell were three of the biggest names to miss the cut at the Masters on Saturday, a list that also included major winners Davis Love III and David Toms.

And the biggest name of all said goodbye. Six-time champion Jack Nicklaus called it quits at this tournament after missing the cut by five strokes.

“It’s no fun,” the 65-year-old Nicklaus said, “to just go out there and hack it around.”

Howell’s chances faded when he knocked his ball into the bushes on the famous par-3 12th. Forced to take an unplayable lie, he wound up with a double bogey.

Howell’s family held a membership at neighboring Augusta Country Club. The two courses brush against each other in Amen Corner, not far from the spot where his chances were snuffed out.

“Obviously, this tournament is extremely important to me,” said Howell, whose 149 missed the cut by a single stroke. “I love it more than anything in the world. But the best way to get yourself in contention on Sunday is to get there.”

Ernie Els, a perpetual contender at the Masters, was fortunate to be around for the rest of the weekend. At his final hole, last year’s runner-up faced a 10-foot putt with a severe right-to-left break on the treacherous 18th green.

The Big Easy let out a big sigh when the ball dropped into the cup for a 4-over-par 148 – right on the cut line, but 14 strokes behind leader Chris DiMarco.

“This is disappointing,” Els said. “I’m not hitting my irons well. Too many wrong shots at the wrong time. It’s a bit of a battle.”

He hoped to make a charge on the back nine, but it didn’t work out. Els flew a wedge into the bunker behind the 13th green, leading to bogey on one of the easiest holes on the course. Now all he can do is “shoot two 64s and hope for the best.”

Garcia hardly resembled someone playing his 26th major championship – especially at the 18th. The Spaniard made a poor pitch past the hole, watched a downhill 4-footer skid by the right side, lipped out a 3-footer coming back and settled for double bogey.

Garcia, who opened with a 77, tried to rally with three birdies on his final nine holes. He wound up even par for the round but 72 wasn’t good enough to avoid the cut.

Also at 149 was Harrington, an Irishman who joined the PGA Tour this year in hopes of improving his chances in the majors. He won the Honda Classic last month but didn’t fare well in the Masters, slumping to 77 in the second round.

Fred Funk had one of the biggest wins of his career in The Players Championship two weeks ago, but couldn’t carry that momentum to Augusta. He missed the cut by two strokes.

Another shot back was Love, who missed the Masters cut for only the second time in 11 years. The 1997 PGA Championship winner is normally among the contenders at Augusta National, finishing in a tie for sixth last year.

Chaos ensues with new pairings

Just when the Masters appeared to get back on schedule after two days of rain, the third round was thrown into more chaos Saturday afternoon when players were not told their tee times.

“This is like the dark ages,” two-time champion Bernhard Langer said. “How difficult can it be to get 50 players back on the course?”

Fifty players made the cut at 4-over 148, and Augusta National officials decided to send them off in twosomes from both tees with hopes of playing as many holes before dark. But the club never posted tee times.

Three club members were on the putting green, studying 36-hole scores and trying to group players accordingly. Retief Goosen and Shingo Katayama were the first to tee off on No. 1, but they should not have been paired together, and both should have started on the 10th tee.

Five players went off with the wrong partner, according to the scores posted from the second round.

One club member was heard saying there was a computer glitch, and that one name came up twice.

Some players appeared confused and annoyed; others made jokes about the confusion on the driving range.

“This is unbelievable,” said Ricci Roberts, the caddie for Ernie Els, as they headed to the practice green. “First, they told us we were playing at five after 5. Then they told us it was 5:15.”

With groups already teeing off nearby, a tournament worker hurriedly readjusted the names on a pairings board, trying to get everyone in the correct order.

“Let’s get to the tee quick before they change their minds,” Tim Herron’s caddie, Scott Steele, said after Herron’s pairing with Nick O’Hern was finally called.

Chris DiMarco, who shot 67 in the morning and had a four-shot lead, stuck his head out the clubhouse door and asked his caddie if he had heard the tee times. The caddie shook his head.

Langer was not amused. He was on the green waiting for a rules official to approve a new putter he was using, and had a look of disbelief as he spoke to an official.

“I told them I have seen amateur events better organized,” he said. “And I still don’t know when I’m playing.”

By the time half the field was on the course, tee times finally were distributed.

Amateur watch

Trevor Immelman hasn’t enjoyed the success as a pro in the United States that he did as an amateur.

That could change this weekend.

The South African climbed onto the leaderboard at the Masters with five birdies in six holes Saturday afternoon, putting him in a tie for seventh at 3-under. He was at 5-under for the third round with three holes left when play was halted.

“It was, without a doubt, the best stretch I’ve had here,” he said. “It felt fantastic.”

Immelman looked as if he was going to follow in the footsteps of countrymen Gary Player and Ernie Els. He won the 1996 Junior PGA Championship, the 1998 U.S. Public Links, and finished second in the 1997 U.S. Junior Amateur. He also made the cut in the 1999 Masters, finishing 56th.

But almost six years after Immelman turned pro, he’s still looking for his first win on the PGA Tour. His best finish is a tie for ninth in the 2003 NEC Invitational. He does have three wins on the European Tour.

“I’m young and inexperienced,” the 25-year-old said. “I think I’ve just got to pay my dues a little bit. I don’t think it’s anything other than that.”

Immelman looked pretty savvy Saturday.

“Even though it’s the Masters and it’s a huge tournament, if your shot is on, you’ve got to go for it,” he said. “I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself. I’m just going out and doing what I can.”

Luke List, who lost to Ryan Moore in the U.S. Amateur last August, shot a 3-under 69 on Saturday, allowing him to stick around for the rest of the weekend. List shot a 2-over 146 for the first two rounds.

Moore shot 71 and 71 for the first two rounds.

Pair of eagles for Bjorn

Just in case anyone missed Thomas Bjorn’s first eagle, he did it again, two holes later.

Bjorn eagled Nos. 13 and 15 during his second round Saturday morning. He hit a utility wood to 3 feet on No. 13, then put a 4-iron within a foot on the 15th. He’s the ninth player to eagle Nos. 13 and 15 in the same round.

Bjorn finished the second round at 5-under 67, and moved into third place at 8-under midway through the third.

“I think this ties my best score here,” said Bjorn, who also had a 67 in the second round in 2002.