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AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Defending Masters champion Mark O'Meara is famous for his putter which helped produce two major championships last year.

O'Meara had one of those rare off days when he couldn't putt Friday and he shot a 4-over-par 76 that left him at 2-over-par 146.

"I never had a good stroke all day," O'Meara said. "I just didn't have the speed of the greens. I even three-putted twice. That's why a 76 popped up."

O'Meara three-putted just once last year when he won the Masters.

"I'm proud of the fact that I was up there on the leaderboard for awhile," O'Meara said. "It will take a lot of birdies for me to get back in this thing."

Arnie plans to be back

Palmer hits his opening tee shot Thursday.(AP)

Arnold Palmer didn't play the kind of golf he would like but he'll be back for his 46th consecutive Masters in 2000.

Palmer, who set a Masters record with his 45th consecutive appearance, shot 83-78 to miss the cut again. He hasn't made it since 1984.

"Some people say I'm too old to be playing," Palmer said. "As long as I can walk I'm gong to play. In fact, I made a birdie on 18 so I'll definitely be back."

The four-times champion added, "I love playing in this event. I look into the gallery and if I don't know everyone in there I'm disappointed."

Daniel's dynasty

The 85-year-old Daniel is attending his 53rd consecutive Masters as a spectator. Ford holds the record for most Masters starts with 47. Daniel has attended the tournament 53 consecutive years.

Daniel, of Decatur, Ga., is given the option of buying two $100 tournament badges every year.

"The first check I write every year is for my Masters tickets," said Daniel, a retired salesman.

Par 3 curse strikes again

Durant takes home the crystal from the par-3 contest.(AP)

It's not a good thing to win the Wednesday Par-3 tournament before the Masters. Just ask Joe Durant.

No Par-3 winner has ever won the regular tournament but what happened to Durant bordered on being cruel.

Durant, of Molino, Fla., and the 1998 Motorola Open winner, shot a 15-over-par 87 in the first round.

In the second round, Durant came back with a 79 and missed the cut. The only thing he got was the crystal vase for winning the par-3 tournament with a 5-under-par 22.

"It was my first experience here and I learned a lot," he said. "I learned what not to do.

"I'd like to earn my way back to redeem myself. "

Guards beat bushes for cell phones

"They hide in the bushes to use them and that's how they get caught," one security guard said.

On one hole, a cell phone rang in a spectator's pocket and security officials rushed to him. They confiscated the phone and gave him a claim ticket to pick it up at the main gate.

Cameras are also banned but few spectators try to beat the system because they know they can be easily seen taking a picture.

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