Masters Profile: Gary Player

Until Trevor Immelman won the Masters last year, Gary Player was the only South African to ever win at Augusta and had done so on three different occasions (1961, 1974, 1978). At 5 feet 7 inches tall, Player (aka The Black Knight for being clad in black shirt and black pants at tournaments) was never very long off the tee. However, his superior sand play and trust in his putter allowed Player to win 24 events on the PGA tour, including 9 Majors.

When Player won the Masters in 1961, he was the first foreign-born professional to win the Tournament. He will tee off at Augusta for the 52nd time in his career, a record amongst all Masters invitees (Arnold Palmer is 2nd with 50). He made the cut 23 straight times between 1959 and 1982, a record which until last season, was threatened to be tied by 1992 Masters champion Fred Couples.

He courted controversy in his career when he invited fellow golf professional Lee Elder and tennis professional Arthur Ashe to visit and play in South Africa at a time when apartheid (South African government-sponsored discrimination against blacks) will still a law in his home country. As a result, he was branded a 'traitor' by his own government. His comments at the 2007 Open Championship (aka British Open) regarding the use of performance-enhancing substances led the PGA Tour to adopt a policy for its professionals.

Well-spoken, classy, business-savvy and a great ambassador to the game of Golf, Gary Player is timeless.

Vital Masters Stats For Gary Player

# of Masters Appearances (52)
Best Finish (1st - 1961, 1974, 1978)
Top-10 finishes (15) 1959-1965, 1967-1968, 1970-1972, 1974, 1978, 1980