Six-time Masters champion Jack Nicklaus tees off on the second hole during the second round of the Masters. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)

Jack Nicklaus finishes strong by knocking a pitching wedge from 84 yards to within a foot of the flag on 18

GolfWeb Wire Services

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- This was a day for celebrating the past and looking ahead to the future at the Masters.

Englishman Justin Rose, the youngest pro in the field at 23, showed his opening-day performance was no fluke, playing steady as a rock Friday while everyone else jockeyed for position.

Among those chasing: Tiger Woods, who rebounded from a birdieless Thursday with a 3-under-par 69 that broke his streak of five consecutive rounds over-par in the majors -- the longest of his career. Woods, who hasn't won a major since the 2002 U.S. Open at Bethpage, climbed back to even par for the tournament, extending his record streak of cuts made to 121.

Rose opened with a 67 and followed with a 71, maintaining the two-stroke lead he had at the beginning of the day. It was nothing spectacular -- two birdies, one bogey and 15 pars.

While Rose plodded along, Arnold Palmer said goodbye to the Masters. The King turned his final round into a lovefest, cracking jokes and frequently stopping to chat with patrons who cheered their 74-year-old hero's every step.

Jack Nicklaus may follow Palmer out the gate. The six-time champion said again this likely was his final Masters, though he's been known to change his mind before.

If this was it, Nicklaus sure went out in style. At No. 18, he knocked a pitching wedge from 84 yards to within a foot of the flag, tapping in for his second straight 75.

"I could well be done," said Nicklaus, likely to miss the cut after three-putting six times over two days. "If I don't play next year, it's no big deal. I've played 44 Masters. I've been out here a long time. I have no regrets."

While the 64-year-old Nicklaus struggled to make putts, playing partner Alex Cejka was draining them from all over the course. The German shot 70 for the second day in a row and was only two strokes behind Rose.

"He putted unbelievable," Nicklaus said. "I don't know how many miles of 20-foot putts he made, but it's a lot of 'em."

In contrast to Rose's steady play, K.J. Choi endured a wild ride through the colorful azaleas and towering pines. The South Korean surged to the lead with a 30 on the front nine, tying a course record and getting his score to 7 under.

The back nine provided nothing but misery, beginning with three straight bogeys. He also bogeyed 16 and settled for a 2-under 70 -- three strokes off the pace.

Chris DiMarco also knew what it like to be a leader, but he lost three strokes in two holes -- a double-bogey at 13 was followed by a bogey at 14 -- and staggered in with a 73.

Mike Weir was in danger of missing the cut. The Canadian shot the worst opening round for a defending champion in Masters history, dunking two balls in the water on his way to a 7-over 79.

The left-hander redeemed himself a bit in the second round, shooting a 70, but failed to get up-and-down from behind the green at 18, taking a bogey that could make him the first defending champion to miss the weekend since Jose Maria Olazabal in 2000.

Choi, playing in just his second Masters, made six birdies on the first nine holes and equaled the course record set by Johnny Miller in 1975 and matched by Greg Norman in '88.

The leaderboard definitely had an international flavor: Two behind Rose, tied with Cejka at 4-under 140, was Olazabal of Spain, who shot 69.

The second round was played on a brilliantly sunny day -- in contrast to the wildly varying weather on Thursday. The tournament began under threatening clouds, followed by a light rain, then sun and finally a heavy downpour that halted play for two hours.

Eighteen golfers weren't able to complete their round before darkness, forcing them to come back early Friday to finish.

Weir was among them. With the sun setting Thursday, he watched his third shot at No. 15 roll back off the green and disappear into the pond.

He stood with his hands on his hips, then threw down his club in disgust. He wound up taking a double bogey 7, then headed to the clubhouse.

On Friday, Weir returned to finish his round -- and quickly found more trouble, splashing his tee shot at 16 for a bogey. He bogeyed the final two holes as well.

Weir, who beat Len Mattiace in a playoff last year, opened the second round with another bogey, then rallied with three birdies in a four-hole stretch.

The other half of last year's playoff was definitely heading home. Mattiace posted rounds of 76 and 75.

"It was a special event last year," he said. "That was the past. I've got challenges ahead of me."