Just as Mark O'Meara was starting to believe he somehow could contend again at the Masters Tournament, a dose of reality came with Friday's second round.

One day after shooting an opening-round 69, the 1998 Masters champion all but declared himself out of the running, after a frustrating 2-over-par 74 on Friday.

``Do I have a chance? Not really,'' said O'Meara, who in 1998 became the oldest player to win two major titles in the same year at 41. He has failed to finish in the top 25 in a major since. ``I could play well tomorrow, I think, but you know the players today hit the ball so much further and have such a big advantage.''

Tied for 11th place when the day began, O'Meara's fall from contention began with a bogey at the par-5 second, which is the longest hole on the course at 575 yards. He then bogeyed the par-4 seventh hole after four straight pars, but redemption came with a birdie at No. 9.

His up and down play continued on the back nine. O'Meara followed a bogey at No. 10 with birdie-bogey-par-bogey on Nos. 11-14. If there was any consolation, he closed out his round with a birdie at No. 18, which moved him to 1-under-par for the tournament and allowed him to make the cut.

``I shot 2-over today, so that's a little disappointing, but that's the way it goes,'' said O'Meara, who did not play on the weekend last year, ending a streak of making nine straight Masters cuts. ``At least I get to play on the weekend, so that's a little better.''

Since his breakthrough win at the Masters three years ago and a second major title at the British Open later that year, O'Meara has failed to rediscover the magic. He has not won a tournament since his World Match Play title in 1998 and last year fell out of the top 100 on the PGA Tour money list for the first time since 1982.

Not even a pep talk from close friend and Orlando neighbor Tiger Woods before the start of the 2001 season could fire up the slumping O'Meara. It was Woods who O'Meara said inspired him to raise the level of his game, which ultimately helped lift him to glory in 1998.

While his length off the teeis one reason he has struggled, O`Meara's putting troubles have cost him so far this week. He needed 30 putts in Thursday's opening round and 29 on Friday.

``I just hung in there today and didn't putt that great, but hopefully tomorrow I'll putt a little bit better, and it's something I'm going to work on,'' O'Meara said. ``I'll just try to work on my short game now and work on touch and feel. I know the golf course, because I've played here enough times.''