'What he is doing is absolutely amazing'
By DENNE H. FREEMAN
AP Sports Writer
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) - Jack Nicklaus finished his round Saturday,
looked at the scoreboard and started laughing.
"I think the scoreboard tells it all," said the six-time
Masters champion. "Records are made to be broken."
Nicklaus and Raymond Floyd own the 72-hole Masters record of
17-under par 271.
With Tiger Woods on the prowl, no record will ever be safe
again at Augusta National.
"What he is doing is absolutely amazing," Nicklaus
said. "Here he starts the day with only a slim three shot
lead and playing in a very tricky wind. Then - Boom! All he does
is shoot 4-under on the front nine with four birdies. Now, that's
strong. I'd be very surprised if he doesn't keep it up through
Sunday."
On a day that Nicklaus shot an even-par 72 and tied Sam Snead
for the most rounds played in Masters history at 146, everybody
wanted to know his impressions of the 21-year-old Woods.
Nicklaus said Woods reminds him of himself 20 years ago.
"He has the same advantage when I first came out only
he is longer than I was," Nicklaus said. "He's hitting
those short irons to the par-5s and just makes the course melt
away. I don't think there's much hope for the field."
Nicklaus said the par-5s at Augusta National were designed
for the second shot to be either a wood or long iron to the green.
"Now Tiger is going around the course hitting eight or
10 wedges to the greens," Nicklaus said. "I set the
original record 32 years ago. But you can safely say it's in danger
now."
Nicklaus admitted he wasn't as advanced as Woods when he was
21.
"Tiger has played more tournament golf than I did at an
early age," Nicklaus said. "I almost won the U.S. Open
when I was 21."
Nicklaus said Woods thinks his way around the field much better.
"He's very smart, very intelligent," Nicklaus said.
"That's why I don't think anything will happen to him on
Sunday. He has a mind like I had."
Nicklaus won't stay around for the possible coronation of golf's
new king.
"I'll be on my airplane," Nicklaus said. "I
don't need to watch a 10-shot win."
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