Palm Beach, Florida – The Masters is arguably the most storied championship in the game and Gary Player is one of its greatest champions. Paying tribute to one of the legends of the game, Augusta National announced that Gary Player will join Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus as honorary starters to open the 2012 Masters.
“I am thrilled to join my friends Jack and Arnold as an Honorary Starter,” Player said. “Augusta National is a special place that holds many memories for me. When I won my first Green Jacket in 1961, Arnold put it on my back. In 1962, Arnold beat me in an 18-hole playoff to win his second in three years. The year after my second win in 1974, Jack became the second man at the time to ever win four Masters. I was there to put the Green Jacket on both of them. Moments like those are so special and to be able to experience those memories with friends and competitors is something I will never forget.”
Gary Player’s career at Augusta National began in 1957 with an invitation from then Chairman Clifford Roberts. Player credits his father Harry for getting him the invitation after he wrote a letter encouraging Augusta National to invite his son who was beginning to win regularly in South Africa, Europe, The Middle East and Australia. In 2009, 52 appearances and three Green Jackets later, an emotional and grateful Gary Player made his final appearance as a competitor. His 52 appearances are the most ever.
In 1961 Player became the first international player to ever win at Augusta National and is one of only 8 men to win 3 or more Green Jackets. He captured his second title in 1974 and in 1978 with one of the greatest back nine performances in Masters history, Player roared back from 7 shots down to win his third Championship. “I remember when Seve and I were on 11th tee some patrons said that I was so far behind that it was not worth following our group. I told them not to leave because I was going to win. Seve looked at me and asked if I really thought that I could, and I told him that one can never give up and to always believe. That is the way I live my life; with a positive attitude no matter what. It is one of the biggest reasons for my success,” said Gary Player.
In 1998 at the age of 62 he became the oldest player to ever make the cut. He holds the record of 23 consecutive cuts made and is second all time with number of cuts made with 30 (the record is held by Jack Nicklaus).
Although his competitive career at Augusta National has ended Player continues to remain involved at The Masters. The Big Three® (Player, Palmer and Nicklaus) are the featured group during the Par 3 Competition and he represents global companies like SAP, Callaway and Coca-Cola during Masters week. He also hosted the US leg of the Gary Player Invitational Series of charity golf tournament at Champions Retreat Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia following the 2011 Masters. Champions Retreat the first golf course in the world to feature designs by Player, Palmer and Nicklaus on the same property.
“If there’s a golf course in heaven, I hope it’s like Augusta National. I just don’t want an early tee time.” – Gary Player
For more information about Gary Player, please contact Guy DeSilva, Media Director, Black Knight International. 561 624 0300 x642, or guy@garyplayer.com.
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About Gary Player
Gary Player has won 165 professional golf tournaments worldwide, including nine major championships on the regular PGA Tour and nine on the Champions or Senior Tour. He became the third man to capture golf’s coveted Grand Slam (after Ben Hogan & Gene Sarazen) when he won the US Open in 1965 at the age of 29. Since then, only Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods have joined this elite group.
Off the course, Player has an unparalleled resume that includes over 40 years in the golf course design business and a portfolio of more than 325 golf courses worldwide; his philanthropic efforts have raised over $35 million for underprivileged children’s education globally through the efforts of The Player Foundation; has bred over 2000 winning racehorses on the Gary Player Stud Farm in South Africa; and in 1995 he received an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from St. Andrews University. In recognition of his achievements in golf and his dedication to charity, Player has also received numerous awards including the Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award, South Africa’s Sportsman of the Century in 2000 and the 2006 Payne Stewart Award from the PGA Tour.
Gary Player also currently serves as the Global Ambassador to the World Golf Hall of Fame and has been dubbed the Black Knight and the World’s Most Traveled Athlete ™ with over 15 million miles or over 25 million kilometers traveled.
For further information, contact Debbie Longenecker, The Player Group at debbie@garyplayer.com or +1 561 624 0300 or visit www.garyplayer.com.
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