With all five amateurs competing in the 2002 Masters missing the cut, the silver cup presented to the low amateur will not be claimed this year.

But Robert Hamilton is leaving Augusta National Golf Club with a nice consolation prize.

The U.S. Amateur runner-up was paired with Arnold Palmer for the first 36 holes, and after completing the second round Saturday morning, Hamilton had his Masters cap autographed by The King.

"It was a pretty special day. I got goose bumps through a lot of the holes," Hamilton said of being a firsthand witness to Arnie's last hurrah in Augusta.

U.S. Amateur Public Links champion Chez Reavie was the only amateur to finish 36 holes Friday. He shot 74-86-160 to miss the 3-over-par cut by 13 shots.

U.S. Mid-Amateur winner Tim Jackson shot 76-78-154; U.S. Amateur champion Bubba Dickerson closed out a 1-under-par second round of 71, and finished at 150; and British Amateur champ Michael Hoey led the amateur field with a 148 after rounds of 75-73.

Hoey was in position to make the cut Saturday, but the 23-year-old from Northern Ireland couldn't quite hold on.

"I had a good birdie on No. 15, but I just had a bad tee shot and an impossible bunker shot on 17. I made a bogey there and missed the cut by one," Hoey said. "I tried hard the last few holes. I would have liked to have made the cut, but it's not disastrous. It's been great."

Hamilton had six holes remaining in his second round Saturday, and although he eventually posted his second straight 77, he enjoyed the company.

"I was just trying to soak as much of that up as I could," Hamilton said. "I was trying to play golfand have some fun and be part of history, really."

Amateurs have not fared well in recent history in Augusta. All the amateurs missed the Masters cut last year, and the last time more than one amateur made the cut was 1999.

Hamilton said he hit the ball well this week, but when rain soaked the National's greens, he couldn't adjust to their slower pace.

When Hamilton and Toru Taniguchi reached the home hole Saturday, each chose to putt out before Palmer.

Subsequently, Hamilton missed a short putt on No. 18, but had no regrets.

"It's not tough; it's respect," the 24-year-old Californian said. "The stage needed to be cleared for him."