Ben Crenshaw slumped over and grabbed his kneecaps as the gallery roared.

Caddie Carl Jackson confers with Ben Crenshaw on the No. 2 green during the second round. The two-time Masters Tournament champion made the cut for the first time in nine years Friday. (Michael Holahan/Staff)

This time, his white ball cap remained on his head and the tears he shed 11 years ago were replaced by a crooked smile that the crowd at Augusta National Golf Club hadn't seen in a long time.

Crenshaw's improbable par putt at No. 17 on Friday made it feel like 1995 again for the two-time Masters Tournament champion. The looping 25- footer, and par a hole later, gave him an even-par 72 and kept the 54-year-old at 1 under for the tournament. He's in a tie for 10th place and will play the weekend for the first time since 1997.

After missing eight consecutive cuts at the Masters, Crenshaw is now the oldest player left in the field. He sure didn't look - or feel - old during his second round.

"I've had six not-so-good years over here, but I've proven to myself there's certainly still a way around here," Crenshaw said. "I've never made a secret of the fact that this is my favorite place. It's a fascinating place to me.

"It's not straightforward golf, by any means. But it's imaginative. You have to imagine things out there."

Crenshaw's imagination raced after a solid par at No. 16.

As he did during a practice round, his wayward drive smacked the Eisenhower Tree, and his ball dropped into a bad lie.

He tried for the green of the 440-yard par 4 with a 4-wood, but topped the ball into the middle of the fairway. With his third shot, he plopped a soft 9-iron onto the left side of the green, leaving an uphill putt that seemed like certain bogey.

Instead, he curled in a putt that he'll remember forever.

"Seventeen was one of the best pars I've ever had," he said. "I did a number of those things (Thursday). But to see that, at that time, was just spectacular."

Even caddie Carl Jackson knew the importance of Crenshaw's stroke.

"That save kept us in the red," Jackson said. "He was a cool customer out there."

Crenshaw was consistent on a course that normally rewards such play. He birdied No. 2, only to bogey the par-3 fourth. With the tee moved closer Friday, his tee shot drifted near the bamboo behind the green.

He recovered, though, with par at No. 5, and he picked up steam despite missing makeable birdie putts at Nos. 6, 7 and 8. He lagged a long birdie attempt at No. 9 to escape the front nine with 36.

At a windy No. 10, Crenshaw swatted an approach shot to within 15 feet of the backside-positioned hole. He missed birdie by inches, but his confidence was overflowing by then.

"Oh, 10 I hit a really good putt there," he said. "I was really proud of that 4-wood shot into the green."

He kept cruising at No. 11, the most difficult hole the past two days. Crenshaw's 3-iron carried the water, hit the front of the green and gave him a chance at par, which he converted.

"I have to play a different tack on the course," he said. "I'm playing a pretty good ways back and my ball is coming in pretty hot into these greens because I'm hitting longer clubs. The contours can help you as much as hurt you here."

Crenshaw took advantage of that during the latter stages of his round, always seemingly being on the correct side of the cup.

And, for the first time in 11 years, he was enjoying himself.

"Carl and I are having fun, trying to solve puzzles out there," he said. "It's a puzzle each time you play this course."

The past two days, he's putting the pieces in the right places.

Reach John Kaltefleiter at (706) 208-2213.