Texas Golfer: Even though you’re from South Africa and have played all over the world, you have a lot of ties to Texas, don’t you?
Gary Player: The people in Texas always remind me of the people in South Africa. They are friendly and helpful. The land is the same and we have a lot of things in common.
TG: Can you really believe you’re headed to your 50th Masters this month?
GP: No, no, I really cannot.
TG: You’re headed into uncharted territory, where only Arnold Palmer (50 Masters) has ever been. Did you ever think you’d get this far?
GP: Jack (Nicklaus) and I used to tell Arnold we were going to stop at 35 (tournaments). We had won the (career) grand slam and we were going to stop at 35 Masters. Then when we came into the champions’ locker room every year, he would look up and say, “What are you guys doing here, you said you were going to retire.” He would really give us a hard time, really razz us.
TG: I guess this Masters will be a little more special for you than most?
GP: I’m really looking forward to April. I really am. We usually rent a house for our friends and family, but this year we’re going to have to rent three houses.
TG: What has spurred your love affair with Augusta National and the Masters?
GP: I’ve always said that if there’s a golf course in Heaven then this is it, and I would just like to be the head pro. But I’m not in a hurry to go yet.
TG: You grew up in relative poverty in South Africa. How did you first hear about the Masters?
GP: We saw it in a movie theater back home. They brought in the film from the tournament. We didn’t have TV, of course, and they just shipped in the movie from Augusta. It cost me one shilling, about 12 cents, to get into the theater and I watched Ben Hogan win in 1951.
TG: When did you first see the Masters on TV?
GP: When I first went in 1957, they were still sending the movies back home to play in the theater, and when I won for the first time (1961) we still didn’t have TV, so we just took the movie from club to club to show everyone the win.
TG: What makes the Masters special to you?
GP: When you drove down the entry way you could feel the atmosphere and the ambience. Oh, the beauty of the place. You never saw a weed. It’s the only place you started choking when you drove down the driveway. I know I did. With President Eisenhower, Bobby Jones, who was loved and adored, and Clifford Roberts, the disciplinarian, those are the three people who made the Masters.
TG: You’ve always been a big supporter of the event haven’t you?
GP: Yes. You know Arnold and Jack have been big ambassadors for the U.S. with Augusta and I have been the big ambassador for the rest of the world.
TG: People may not realize you won your third Masters and won the Houston Open two weeks later as the final PGA Tour victory as part of a three in a row stretch.
GP: Sure, that was the final one on the PGA Tour. Houston was a great place and I have a lot of great memories there.
TG: What do you remember about your last Tour win in Texas?
GP: I remember a lot. I tell you a funny story: I was six behind going to the final round and Andy Bean comes up to me kidding and says, “You’re not going win this week, you South African midget.” After I shot 64 in Houston to win, I kiddingly told him, “That’s how we handle big rednecks in Texas.”
TG: In 50 years of Masters, you have to have plenty of memories. What are some of the top which come to mind?
GP: I’ll tell you the loss to Arnold (Palmer) in 1962 is still the most painful.
TG: Why is that?
A note on the back of the above picture reads: “This photograph was taken on the practice tee of the Augusta National Golf Club on April 8, 1962,
prior to the fourth round of the Masters Tournament. After 72 holes three professionals were tied for the low score at 280. They were Dow Finsterwald, Arnold Palmer, and Gary Player.”
TG: What happened next?
GP: The ball comes racing down the hill to the hole 100 miles per hour, hits the flag and went into the cup. The single most phenomenal shot ever at Augusta.
TG: You know Tiger had a pretty famous shot at No. 16 when he chipped in during his 2005 Masters win.
GP: Not half as good as Arnold’s. No, let me change that. Not a quarter as good as Arnold’s shot. Tiger’s ball was going up a slope before coming down and barely fell in. Arnold’s shot was racing down the hill.
TG: You still had the lead?
GP: Then on No. 17, he (Palmer) rattles his tee shot in the trees, takes a 5-iron, knocked it 28 feet from the cup, and then knocked it in the hole. The next day in the playoff, I had him by three shots at the turn and he won. Ah, those were really hard pills to take.
TG: What about a good memory?
GP: I think my greatest Masters thrill was my third victory in 1978. I started in 10th place at the start of the final day and came back with a closing 64, which included a 30 on the back nine. You know I had three putts rim out on that back side. Can you imagine if I had shot 27 on the back side? They would have never invited me back.
TG: At age 71, Arnold has quit, Jack has stopped playing, and everyone close to your age has stopped playing professional golf. Why do you continue?
GP: First, I love golf. Second, I love people. I love travel, the greatest education you can ever get. I represent a lot of companies and it keeps me young. It keeps me in the gym and it keeps me on my diet. It’s such an incredible game and I’ve been breaking my age such a lot lately.
TG: You have a lifetime invitation to play at the Masters. Will you ever stop?
GP: I’m trying to decide what I will do. Maybe in 2008, maybe not. It’s just so beautiful there with all the flowers and everybody is there. It’s fun to see the same people year after year (at the club), but many of them have retired or died.
TG: There was a lot of talk last year after lengthening the course and making it too hard. What did you think after playing it?
GP: I think they have got it right. What is happening today is that the guys are basically hitting the same shots to the green we used to do. Between the fairways and the ball going 60 yards further, I think they’ve done a good job.
TG: You’ve played so many rounds at Augusta National. Anything you haven’t done there?
GP: Well, my best score was 66, but I’ve never aced a hole in competition. A lot of times on the par 3, but never in competition.
TG: Seems like you’ve got a new goal?
GP: You’re certainly right about
that one. |
