Norman lost his ball on the 12th hole in Saturday's third round. After his round, he told the press corps he would give ``500 bucks if anybody can go out and find that ball.''

Little did he know that the ball had already been found.

With permission from a rules official, CBS-TV commentator Bobby Clampett, Christine Brennan, a columnist for USA Today, and Tim Rosaforte of Golf World embarked on the hunt.

``We were like little kids over there,'' said Brennan, covering her first Masters. ``I've been a sports writer for 18 years. It's one of the coolest things I've ever done.''

Clampett actually found the ball, about 10 feet from where Norman thought it landed. It was above the bunker that rests behind the green.

``It was embedded pretty deep,'' Clampett, whose assignment this week is the tower at Nos. 11 and 12, said Saturday night. ``The best he could have done was advance it into the back bunker or the one in front of the green.''

After searching for the maximum five minutes, Norman went back to the tee, took a penalty shot and hit his third shot to 22 feet. From there he drained the putt for bogey.

``We were very, very respectful,'' Brennan said, adding that they waited about 30 minutes after the final group had cleared the area.

Confronted after his reward offer, a surprised Norman asked, ``You found it?''

The Maxfli XS ball, with the number 0 and the word SHARK, is in Clampett's possession.

``I'm thinking of auctioning it off and giving the money to charity,'' Clampett said. ``I guess I've got to find an auction house if Norman wins.''

The rule

Rule 27-1 -- Ball lost or out of bounds

If a ball is lost outside a water hazard or is out of bounds, player shall play a ball, under penalty of one stroke, as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played.