After mixing with a Bear and a Tiger - Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods - over the last 50 years Arnold Palmer found himself confronted by a snake in his last-ever round at the Masters.

The 74-year-old living legend, four times the champion at Augusta, made his farewell with a second successive 84 on Friday.

"As I was walking from the men's room on 13 I went through a ditch and almost stepped on a snake about as long as that," said Palmer, spreading his hands about four feet apart.

"I would guess it was a moccasin (one of four highly venomous snakes found in Georgia) and if I felt a little tired I didn't then. I came out of there and I was flying."

Palmer will now consider an offer to become an honorary starter just as Gene Sarazen, Sam Snead and Byron Nelson were before him.

And perhaps the same question will be put to Nicklaus, who indicated last night that he might not play another Masters either.

Six-time winner Nicklaus, disappointed to miss the cut by two after two 75s, said: "It depends on how I am playing, but it could well be my last one.

"If I had putted half decent I would be in contention. I three-putted six times."