'Maligned but Not Damaged'

Hootie Johnson, the club chairman, said Wednesday at his annual Masters news conference that there are no plans to invite its first female member.

"Just because we hold a golf tournament, because some of our members are well known, should not cause us to be viewed any differently," Johnson said. "I have also stated that there well may come a time when we include women as members of our club, and that remains true.

"However, I want to emphasize that we have no timetable with our present status."

Johnson said the campaign carried out by the National Council of Women's Organizations to pressure Augusta National to admit a woman has affected the Masters tournament.

"It's been maligned, but I don't think it's been damaged," Johnson said. "And I think the Masters will continue to be one of the great sporting events of the world, next year and the year after and the year after and the year after."

Johnson also said the Masters could continue indefinitely without television sponsors, but there's a good chance sponsors will be back in 2004. Johnson had a quick response when asked about Tiger Woods' statement that Augusta National should have a female member.

Said Johnson: "I won't tell Tiger how to play golf if he doesn't tell us how to run our private club."

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Johnson said if a female qualified, she would be invited to play the Masters. Michelle Wie, the 13-year-old from Honolulu who tied for ninth at the LPGA Kraft Nabisco Championship, has said she plans to enter the U.S. Public Links because the winner receives an exemption into the Masters.

The Public Links is July 14-20 at Blue Heron Pines near Atlantic City, N.J.

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No first-round leader has won the Masters since Ben Crenshaw in 1984.

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Jack Nicklaus, 63, is playing in his 43rd Masters, but he didn't make up his mind to come back again until he practiced at Augusta National three times in the last month.

"I wasn't real sure that I had a golf game

Nicklaus said he hadn't been convinced he could hit the ball far enough. He also said the wet conditions mean the course probably will play longer than ever.

"It's going to be very difficult for anybody who doesn't hit it gorilla-style," he said.

Nicklaus on Woods' chance for a record third consecutive Masters title: "It would not surprise me in the least to see Tiger win it again."