For both players, it was a triumph simply being there, irrespective of how they performed as the final pairing of the final round of the US Masters. Jose-Maria Olazabal had put himself into a winning position in a "major" for the first time since returning from serious injury, while Greg Norman had proved there might still be redemption at Augusta National, after his torment of 1996.

In their own ways, they had shared each other's pain, highlighting the extraordinary bond which a common purpose can forge between competitive sportsmen. The Spaniard described their relationship as "close", while Norman talked of the two of them being "proud as punch" at returning once more to the highest level. When foot problems forced Olazabal out of the game for 18 months after the Lancome Trophy in September 1995, the Shark revealed the caring side of a notoriously complex nature. "He was always in touch," said the Spaniard. "He wrote a note and was obviously anxious to know what my position was."

He went on: "It was a complete surprise to me when he had shoulder surgery (on April 22nd) last year, but when I heard, I tried to do the same as he had done for me. Our situations were not nice ones to have to share, but, you know, maybe it made us a little bit closer."

Olazabal also remembered the 1996 Masters when, with the title apparently in his grasp, Norman was crushed by Nick Faldo. Unable to compete, he watched it on television from his home in northern Spain. "I didn't like what I saw," he said. "I don't want to see anybody go through the experience that Greg did. I felt sorry for him because he has been very close to winning this tournament."

Their friendship was cemented during the Desert Classic in Dubai in late February/early March, 1997. That was when Olazabal made a comeback to the game, largely through the intervention of a German doctor in Munich, who discovered that he had a problem of the lower back, rather than rheumatoid arthritis which had been wrongly diagnosed.

Norman made a point of meeting the Spaniard at the Emirates Club, and he said afterwards: "I asked him if he missed the buzz of tournament golf, and he said, `Yeah, I missed it; I missed the competition'. I think it's the same for any athlete. It's a challenge every time you play."

For his part, Olazabal had come from a situation where "it was a struggle to stay standing for much more than 10 to 15 minutes", quite apart from some hurtful, horror stories. "At one stage I was supposed to have cancer; at another time I had AIDS and the next thing I had put on 100 kilos of weight and couldn't lace my shoes," he said. "That was supposed to be the reason I didn't come out of the house.

"It didn't hurt me, but I thought it was funny that people should say these things without knowing the truth. They should be ashamed." Then, typically, he could see a positive aspect to his plight: "I have learned not to be so dramatic about things, and also to be more patient than I was before."

Norman lost a play-off to fellow Australian Richard Green in Dubai that year, while Olazabal shot a final round of 71 for a remarkable, nine-under-par aggregate of 279. As to his health, Olazabal said: "I'm not worse than when I came here, which is good news."

Twelve months later, he and his new-found Australian friend went head-to-head in the final round of the Greg Norman Holden International in Sydney. The Shark held out to capture the trophy, but not before being put under real pressure by the resurgent Spaniard.

No doubt remembering that duel, Norman said: "I think we've always had respect for each other's ability. I made a point of staying in touch when he had the foot injury and he did the same thing for me when I was going through my surgery.

"He was one of the few players who called or dropped a note, and it meant a lot. It made him not only a rival, but a friend."

The Shark spoke for both of them as he added: "After being out of the game for a period of time, you begin to wonder if you'll ever get back. You wonder if the surgery was good enough to allow you to return to the level where you used to play."

When Norman hit an eight-iron to three feet for a closing birdie on Saturday, the golfing fates had decided it was time to put these comeback kids to the ultimate test, together. But for Norman and Olazabal, simply being there was almost enough in itself.

Meanwhile, in a postscript to the Shark's lost ball on the 12th on Saturday, it was found later that evening. Thirty minutes after the end of play, CBS commentator Bobby Clampett was joined in the search by American journalists Christine Brennan and Tim Rosaforte.

Clampett was the one who found it, deeply embedded in the bank about 10 feet above the rear bunker. "The best Greg could have done was advance it into the back bunker or the one in front of the green," he said.

Norman offered $500 to anyone who found the ball, a Maxfli XS with SHARK printed on it. So, what's Clampett going to do with it? "I'm thinking of auctioning it off and giving the money to charity," he replied.