Jack Nicklaus stood alone on the ninth green at the Masters, taking a long look at the cheering crowd at Augusta before dipping his head and brushing away the tears.

　　So much of his legacy was forged at the Masters, a simple goodbye somehow seemed inadequate. This was what the 65-year-old, six-time champion wanted, though. No ceremonial last round, no grand sendoff.

　　A few minutes of applause, a hug from his oldest son, and then he was gone, walking off the course at Augusta National for what he says is the last time.

　　"I don't think I'll play in the tournament again," Nicklaus said on Saturday after shooting a 4-over 76 and missing the cut by five strokes.

　　"It's fine to go ahead and say goodbye and so forth and so on, but I think you say goodbye when you think you can still play a little bit. I think I can play a little bit, but I can't play well enough to be playing."

　　Nicklaus won six of his record 18 majors at Augusta (1963, 1965, 1966, 1972, 1975 and 1986), two more green jackets than Arnold Palmer. He was the first to win in consecutive years, and still holds the record as the oldest champion for his last victory at age 46.

　　"It's a special place," said Nicklaus' wife, Barbara. "It's been a special place for a lot of years."

　　Unlike Palmer, he never wanted a ceremonial sendoff, loathing the idea that he might have stayed too long.

　　"This is not a celebrity walk-around," he said. "This is a golf tournament. It's a major golf championship. If you're going to play in this championship, you should be competitive and you should be able to compete with who is out there."

　　He had planned to make 2004 his last year. But after the March 1 drowning death of his 17-month-old grandson, Jake, club chairman Hootie Johnson coaxed Nicklaus into coming back one more time.

　　After playing several rounds with his sons the last few weeks, Nicklaus agreed.

　　"I think it was good for everybody," said his wife, who walked the course with her children and some family friends. "It's been very heartwarming. Everybody's been wonderful, and the support has been wonderful."

　　After he tapped in on the 18th, there was one last smile and wave.

　　Then he walked to the scorer's shed and turned in his last Masters scorecard.

　　"It's a treasure for me," Nicklaus, 68, said. "And I'll miss that greatly."

　　(AP/Reuters)