GolfWeb Wire Services

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- It's been a year of changes under Augusta National chairman Hootie Johnson and there will be another tradition change when players tee off on Thursday.

No longer will the players go off in twosomes. They'll play in threesomes the first two days and switch to twosomes for the weekend. The low 44 players and ties, plus any player within 10 shots of the leader, qualify for play on Saturday and Sunday.

Also, pairings will stay the same for the first two days with set tee times. In the past, pairings were redone according to the score after the first day of play.

Masters officials cited increasingly larger fields as the reason for threesomes.

"We could have rounds taking closer to five hours," Fred Couples said. "At Augusta we're used to a quicker pace. I can only remember a few times we played threesomes because of the weather."

Other changes this year include the growing of rough, alterations to four holes to make the course player longer and harder, and ending the annual international players dinner.

Kuchar ill but hopes to play

Kuchar, a junior at Georgia Tech, was taken to a hospital emergency room on Tuesday in a run-down condition after he practiced for nine holes.

Chest X-rays showed no problems and he didn't have a temperature. Father and caddy, Peter Kuchar, said his son still "hopes to tee it up on Thursday."

Flower fans rejoice

Everything is ready, just waiting for Thursday. (Allsport)

This may be the best year for flowers at Augusta National since 1965.

The azaleas, dogwoods, wisterias and forsythia are blooming in all their glory, perfectly timed for the opening of the Masters.

Charlie Trippe of Spartanburg, S.C., who has watched 38 Masters, said it's the best he's seen since the year Jack Nicklaus won his second green jacket.

"The floral color has been off the last two years but this year I'm comparing it to the 1965 tournament," Trippe said.

Augusta National officials said the peak of the bloom could come later in the week.

Glittering tribute to Nicklaus

Nicklaus will miss his first Masters in 40 years because of hip surgery and Norman said all the players will miss him.

"He put the Masters on the map for the modern day player," Norman said. "He is it, the Masters. It will be a sad weekend without him."

Defending champ battling a cold

O'Meara with his 1998 trophy. (Allsport)

"I'm feeling better but I'm not 100 percent," O'Meara said on Tuesday. "I was a little run down from playing three weeks in a row and got the cold from one of my kids. Tiger and I didn't get to play against each other like we usually do. There was no reason to push it. I feel better after a good night's sleep."

Woods said "Mark was really under the weather. He needed to take it easy."

The two only played once. O'Meara won the money.

While he was off, O'Meara worked on the menu for Tuesday night's champions dinner which is always hosted by the defending champion.

Entree choices included chicken and steak fajitas, Italian food, and sushi.

"Sandy Lyle had haggis one year so I thought I could have sushi," O'Meara said. "I don't like cooked fish but I like raw fish."

Palmer hopes to make the cut

Palmer, standing in the parking lot with wife Winnie, said he is feeling good but not playing well.

"I'm hoping lightning will strike Friday and I will make the cut," Palmer joked.

Duval 5-to-1 favorite to win

Duval is shooting for this third consecutive title after winning The Players Championship and the BellSouth Classic.

Spokesman Andy Clifton, the deputy chief oddsmaker at Ladbrokes of London, rated Tiger Woods next at 6-to-1.

Davis Love III was 16-to-1, Ernie Els 20-to-1, and Fred Couples and Lee Westwood at 22-to-1.

Defending champion Mark O'Meara was next at 25-to-1.

Copyright 1999, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved