With wet weather continuing to dog this year's Masters Tournament, every player has had to find some way to pass the time during rain delays.

What better way to do so than in a special setting reserved for those who have won a green jacket? For Mark O'Meara, it is one of the perks that come with being a Masters champion.

The 1998 winner said he and other green jacket holders spent Friday's rain delay sitting in the champion's locker room, watching television and waiting to get word on what was going to happen.

The word was not good; play was suspended for the day at 4 p.m. after a 3 hour delay.

All but three golfers had started play in the second round, which is scheduled to resume today at 8:30 a.m.

"I've been sitting up in the champions locker room, so that's been kind of fun because we've had all the past champions up there," said O'Meara, who is at even par through 19 holes. "We just sat around and watched a little tennis, waited to hear the word on what was going to happen, and now I'm going to probably go see a movie."

Not surprisingly, there were also a few tall tales being spun among this select group, said 2003 champion Mike Weir.

"There were some good stories going on," he said.

One of the special aspects of the Masters is that former champions get to congregate in a locker room on the second floor of the Augusta National clubhouse, quarters that are off limits to other players.

"It's a nice advantage to sit up there, actually," Weir said.

"Got a big advantage when you're a champion. You get to hang up there, and they make better peanut butter and jelly sandwiches up there."

Beyond the culinary advantages of the champions locker room, there is also the special feeling of being able to share comradeship with past greats of the game.

When he won seven years ago, O'Meara said, he became a locker mate of Gene Sarazen, who died in 1999. It is a memory he cherishes.

"It's pretty nice to have a locker up there," he said. "My partner was Gene Sarazen. I took so much pride and tremendous honor to be a locker mate of Mr. Sarazen."

Reach Mike Wynn at (706) 823-3218 or mike.wynn@augustachronicle.com.