Gary Player DMSThe Decoration for Meritorious Services was an honour conferred by the apartheid-era Government of the Republic of South Africa, usually upon those appointed as State President of South Africa.-Postnominal letters:...
;
OIGThe Order of Ikhamanga is a South African honour. It was instituted on 30 November 2003 and is granted by the President of South Africa for achievements in arts, culture, literature, music, journalism, and sports...
(born 1 November 1935) is a South African
professional golferIn golf the distinction between amateurs and professionals is rigorously maintained. An amateur who breaches the rules of amateur status may lose his or her amateur status. A golfer who has lost his or her amateur status may not play in amateur competitions until amateur status has been reinstated;...
. With his nine
major championshipThe men's major golf championships, commonly known as the Major Championships, and often referred to simply as the majors, are the four most prestigious annual tournaments in professional golf...
victories, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of golf. He was inducted into the
World Golf Hall of FameThe World Golf Hall of Fame is located at World Golf Village near St. Augustine, Florida, in the United States, and it is unusual among sports halls of fame in that a single site serves both men and women. It is supported by a consortium of 26 golf organizations from all over the world.The Hall of...
in 1974. Player has won 165 tournaments on six continents over six decades.
Player was born in
JohannesburgJohannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, South Africa. He has logged more than 25 million kilometers (15 million miles) in travel, which is more than any other athlete.
Nicknamed the Black Knight, Mr. Fitness, and the International Ambassador of Golf, Player is also a renowned golf course architect with more than 300 design projects on 5 continents throughout the world. He has also written several golf books.
His business interests are represented by Black Knight International, which includes Gary Player Design, Player Real Estate, and Black Knight Enterprises, aspects of which include licensing, events, publishing, wine, apparel and memorabilia.
The Gary Player Stud Farm has received worldwide acclaim for breeding top
thoroughbredThe Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
race horses, including 1994
Epsom DerbyThe Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, internationally as the Epsom Derby, and under its present sponsor as the Investec Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...
entry Broadway Flyer. He operates The Player Foundation, which has a primary objective of promoting underprivileged education around the world.
In 1983, The Player Foundation established the Blair Atholl Schools in Johannesburg, South Africa, which has educational facilities for more than 500 students from kindergarten through eighth grade. In 2008 it celebrated its 25th Anniversary with charity golf events in London,
Palm BeachThe Town of Palm Beach is an incorporated town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The Intracoastal Waterway separates it from the neighboring cities of West Palm Beach and Lake Worth...
, Shanghai and
Cape TownCape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, bringing its total of funds raised to over US $38 million.
Background and family
Gary Player was born in
JohannesburgJohannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, South Africa, the youngest of Harry and Muriel Player's three children. When he was eight years old his mother died from cancer. Although his father was often away from home working in the gold mines, he did manage to take a loan in order to buy a set of clubs for his son Gary to begin playing golf. The Virginia Park golf course in Johannesburg is where Player first began his love affair with golf. At the age of 14 Player played his first round of golf and parred the first three holes. At age 16 he announced that he would become number one in the world. At age 17 he became a professional golfer.
Player married wife Vivienne Verwey (sister of professional golfer Bobby Verwey) on January 19, 1957, four years after turning professional. Together they have six children: Jennifer, Marc, Wayne, Michele, Theresa and Amanda. He is also a grandfather to 21 grandchildren. During the early days of his career Player would travel from tournament to tournament with wife, six children, nanny and a tutor in tow.
Eldest son Marc Player owns and operates Black Knight International, which exclusively represents Player in all his commercial activities, including all endorsements, merchandising, golf course design and real estate development.
Gary Player is the brother of
Ian PlayerDr. Ian Player DMS , is an international conservationist.-Biography:Player was educated at St. John’s College, Johannesburg, South Africa and served in the 6th South African Armoured Division attached to the American 5th Army in Italy 1944–46.His conservation career started with the Natal Parks...
, a notable South African environmental educator and conservationist.
Regular PGA Tour career
Player is one of the most successful golfers in the history of the sport, ranking third (behind Roberto de Vicenzo and
Sam SneadSamuel Jackson Snead was an American professional golfer who was one of the top players in the world for most of four decades. Snead won a record 82 PGA Tour events including seven majors. He failed to win a U.S...
) in total professional wins, with at least 166, and tied for fourth in
major championshipThe men's major golf championships, commonly known as the Major Championships, and often referred to simply as the majors, are the four most prestigious annual tournaments in professional golf...
victories with nine. Along with
Arnold PalmerArnold Daniel Palmer is an American professional golfer, who is generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men's professional golf. He has won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955...
and
Jack NicklausJack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a...
he is often referred to as one of "The Big Three" golfers of his era – from the late 1950s through the late 1970s – when golf boomed in the United States and around the world, greatly encouraged by expanded television coverage. Along with
Gene SarazenGene Sarazen was an American professional golfer, one of the world's top players in the 1920s and 1930s. He is one of five golfers to win all the current major championships in his career, the Career Grand Slam:U.S...
,
Ben HoganWilliam Ben Hogan was an American golfer, generally considered one of the greatest players in the history of the game...
,
Jack NicklausJack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a...
and
Tiger WoodsEldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No...
, he is one of only five players to win golf’s "
career Grand SlamThe Grand Slam in golf is winning all the golf's major championships in the same calendar year.-The Men's Grand Slam:The Grand Slam in men's golf is an unofficial concept, having changed over time. In the modern era, The Grand Slam is generally considered to be winning all four of golf's major...
". He completed the Grand Slam in 1965 at the age of twenty-nine. Player was the second multi-time majors winner from South Africa, following
Bobby LockeArthur D'Arcy "Bobby" Locke was the first internationally successful South African professional golfer. He won four Open Championships.-Early years:...
, then was followed by
Ernie ElsTheodore Ernest "Ernie" Els is a South African professional golfer, who has been one of the top professional players in the world since the mid-1990s. A former World No. 1, he is known as "The Big Easy" due to his imposing physical stature along with his fluid, seemingly effortless golf swing...
, and
Retief GoosenRetief Goosen is a South African professional golfer who has been in the top ten in the Official World Golf Rankings for over 250 weeks between 2001 and 2007. His main achievements have been two U.S...
.
Player played regularly on the U.S. based
PGA TourThe PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
from the late 1950s. He led the money list in 1961, and went on to accumulate 24 career titles. He also played an exceptionally busy schedule all over the world, and he has been called the world's most traveled athlete, clocking up more than 15 million miles. He has more victories than anyone else in the South African Open (13) and the
Australian OpenThe Australian Open is one of the principal annual golf tournaments on the PGA Tour of Australasia, and also the OneAsia Tour since its formation in 2009. The event was first played in 1904 and takes place toward the end of each year...
(7). He held the record for most victories in the
World Match Play ChampionshipIn golf the "World Match Play Championship" may mean:*The WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship: one of the World Golf Championships events.*The longer established Volvo World Match Play Championship: a sixteen man event played at Wentworth Club in England, which as of 2005 offers the highest first...
, with five wins, from 1973 until 1991 when this feat was equaled by Seve Ballesteros, finally losing his share of the record in 2004, when Ernie Els won the event for a sixth time. Player was ever-present in the top ten of
Mark McCormack's world golf rankingsThe McCormack rankings were unofficial world golf rankings published in Mark McCormack's World of Professional Golf Annual from 1968 to 1985, and were a forerunner of the current Official World Golf Rankings...
from their inception in 1968 until 1981; he was ranked second on those rankings in 1969, 1970 and 1972, each time behind
Jack NicklausJack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a...
.
He was the only player in the 20th century to win the British Open in three different decades. His first win, as a 23-year-old in 1959 at Muirfield, came after he double-bogeyed the last hole, and broke down in tears thinking he had lost his chance, but none of the remaining players on the course could match the clubhouse lead he had set. In 1974, he became one of the few golfers in history to win two major championships in the same season. Player last won the U.S. Masters in 1978, when he started seven strokes behind 54-hole leader
Hubert GreenHubert Myatt Green is an American professional golfer who has won numerous professional golf tournaments at both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour level....
entering the final round, and won by one shot with birdies at seven of the last 10 holes for a back nine 30 and a final round 64. One week later, Player came from seven strokes back in the final round to win the Tournament of Champions. In 1984, at the age of 48, Player nearly became the oldest ever major champion, finishing just behind
Lee TrevinoLee Buck Trevino is an American professional golfer. He is an icon for Mexican Americans, and is often referred to as "The Merry Mex" and "Supermex". He won six major championships over the course of his career.-Early life:...
at the PGA Championship. And in gusty winds at the 1998 Masters, he became the oldest golfer ever to make to the cut, breaking the 25-year-old record set by
Sam SneadSamuel Jackson Snead was an American professional golfer who was one of the top players in the world for most of four decades. Snead won a record 82 PGA Tour events including seven majors. He failed to win a U.S...
. Player credited this feat to his dedication to the concept of diet, health, practise and
golf fitnessGolf fitness is a relatively new concept in the world of professional golfing, but one which is gaining wide currency now. While there is now a mainstream following of this type of training, this wasn’t always the case...
.
Being South African, Player never played in the
Ryder CupThe Ryder Cup is a biennial golf competition between teams from Europe and the United States. The competition is jointly administered by the PGA of America and the PGA European Tour, and is contested every two years, the venue alternating between courses in the United States and Europe...
in which American and European golfers compete against each other. Regarding the event, Player remarked, "The things I have seen in the Ryder Cup have disappointed me. You are hearing about hatred and war." He was no longer an eligible player when the
Presidents CupThe Presidents Cup is a series of men's golf matches between a team representing the United States and an International Team representing the rest of the world less Europe. Europe competes against the U.S. in a similar but considerably older event, the Ryder Cup. The Presidents Cup is held biennially...
was established to give international players the opportunity to compete in a similar event, but he was non-playing captain of the International Team for the
Presidents CupThe Presidents Cup is a series of men's golf matches between a team representing the United States and an International Team representing the rest of the world less Europe. Europe competes against the U.S. in a similar but considerably older event, the Ryder Cup. The Presidents Cup is held biennially...
in 2003, which was held on a course he designed, The Links at Fancourt, in George, South Africa. After 2003 ended in a tie, he was reappointed as captain for the 2005 Presidents Cup, and his team lost to the Americans 15.5 to 18.5. Both Player and Jack Nicklaus were appointed to captain their respective teams again in 2007 in Canada; the United States won.
In 2000 he was voted "Sportsman of the Century" in South Africa. In 1966, Gary Player was awarded the
Bob Jones AwardThe Bob Jones Award is the highest honor given by the United States Golf Association in recognition of distinguished sportsmanship in golf. It is named in honor of Bobby Jones.-Winners:*1955 Francis Ouimet*1956 William C. Campbell*1957 Babe Zaharias...
, the highest honor given by the
United States Golf AssociationThe United States Golf Association is the United States' national association of golf courses, clubs and facilities and the governing body of golf for the U.S. and Mexico. Together with The R&A, the USGA produces and interprets the Rules of Golf. The USGA also provides a national handicap system...
in recognition of distinguished sportsmanship in golf. He was inducted into the
World Golf Hall of FameThe World Golf Hall of Fame is located at World Golf Village near St. Augustine, Florida, in the United States, and it is unusual among sports halls of fame in that a single site serves both men and women. It is supported by a consortium of 26 golf organizations from all over the world.The Hall of...
in 1974. The "Gary Player – A Global Journey" exhibition was launched by the Hall of Fame as of March, 2006.
In 2000, Player was ranked as the eighth greatest golfer of all time by
Golf DigestGolf Digest is a monthly golf magazine published by Condé Nast Publications in the United States. It is a generalist golf publication covering recreational golf and men's and women's competitive golf. Condé Nast Publications also publishes the more specialized , and Golf World Business. The...
magazine.
In 2002, Player was voted as the second greatest global golfer of all time by a panel of international media, golf magazines and fellow professionals conducted by the leading Golf Asia Magazine.
On 10 April 2009, he played for the last time in The Masters, where he was playing for his record 52nd time. He was the last of The Big Three (Nicklaus, Player & Palmer) to retire from this tournament, a testament to his longevity.
On 23 July 2009, at the age of 73, Player competed in the
Senior British Open ChampionshipThe Senior Open Championship, or simply The Senior Open is a professional golf tournament for men aged 50 and over. It is run by The R&A, the same body that organises The Open Championship. Prize money won in the event is official money on both the Champions Tour and the European Seniors Tour...
at
Sunningdale Golf ClubSunningdale Golf Club is a golf club, located approximately 30 miles to the west of London, in Sunningdale, Berkshire, England....
, 53 years after capturing his maiden European Tour victory at the Berkshire venue.
Augusta National Golf ClubAugusta National Golf Club, located in Augusta, Georgia, is a famous men's golf club. Founded by Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts and designed by Alister MacKenzie on the site of a former indigo plantation, the club opened for play in January 1933. Since 1934, it has played host to the annual...
and The Masters announced on 5 April 2011, that Player had been invited to join
Jack NicklausJack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a...
and
Arnold PalmerArnold Daniel Palmer is an American professional golfer, who is generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men's professional golf. He has won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955...
as an honorary starter. The Big Three will be reunited in this capacity starting with the 2012 tournament.
PGA Tour wins (24)
| No. |
Date |
Tournament |
Winning Score |
Margin of
Victory |
Runner(s)-up |
| 1 |
20 Apr 1958 |
Kentucky Derby Open The Kentucky Derby Open was a PGA Tour event that was played at Seneca Golf Course in Louisville, Kentucky in the late 1950s. Golf legend Gary Player won his first PGA Tour event at this tournament in 1958....
|
-14(68-68-69-69=274) |
3 strokes |
 Chick Harbert, Ernie VosslerErnest Orville Vossler is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour; he later prospered in the fields of golf course design and construction, golf course management services and real estate development....
|
| 2 |
3 Jul 1959 |
The Open ChampionshipThe Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...
|
Even (75–71–70–68=284) |
2 strokes |
 Scotland Fred Bullock,  Belgium Flory Van DonckFlory Van Donck was a Belgian professional golfer.Van Donck is widely regarded as the greatest ever Belgian golfer. During his career, he won more than fifty tournaments worldwide, including many of the most prestigious national opens of Europe...
|
| 3 |
29 Jan 1961 |
Lucky International Open The Lucky International Open was a PGA Tour event that was played in the 1960s at Harding Park Golf Club, a public course in San Francisco across Lake Merced from the more glamorous Olympic Club. One of the founders and sponsors of the Lucky International Open was Eugene Selvage, owner of the Lucky...
|
-12 (70-69-68-65=272) |
2 strokes |
George Bayer George Bayer was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and the Senior PGA Tour....
, Don WhittDonald Whitt was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the 1950s and 1960s.Whitt was a student of accomplished black golf instructor Lucius Bateman, teacher of such other multiple-tournament-winning PGA Touring pros as Tony Lema, John McMullin, and Dick Lotz...
|
| 4 |
26 Mar 1961 |
Sunshine Open Invitational The Sunshine Open Invitational was a PGA Tour event that played for one year at the Bayshore Country Club in Miami Beach, Florida. The 72-hole tournament was held from March 23–26, 1961; and was won by then 25 year-old Gary Player with a score of 273. Player received $3,500 in winnings....
|
-15 (69-68-67-69=273) |
1 stroke |
Arnold PalmerArnold Daniel Palmer is an American professional golfer, who is generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men's professional golf. He has won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955...
|
| 5 |
10 Apr 1961 |
Masters Tournament |
-8 (69–68–69–74=280) |
1 stroke |
Charles Coe Charles Robert "Charlie" Coe was an American golfer who is considered by many to be one of the greatest amateur golfers in history. A two-time U.S...
, Arnold PalmerArnold Daniel Palmer is an American professional golfer, who is generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men's professional golf. He has won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955...
|
| 6 |
22 Jul 1962 |
PGA ChampionshipThe PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship...
|
-2 (72–67–69–70=278) |
1 stroke |
Bob Goalby Robert George Goalby is a former American professional golfer on the PGA Tour, who won the 1968 Masters Tournament, his lone major championship among 11 Tour wins achieved between 1958 and 1971....
|
| 7 |
13 Jan 1963 |
San Diego Open Invitational |
-14 (65-65-70-70=270) |
1 stroke |
Tony Lema Anthony David "Tony" Lema was an American professional golfer, who rose to fame in the beginning of golf's modern era, but had his young life and career cut short in an aircraft accident. His most prestigious victory was the 1964 British Open.-Biography:Lema was born in Oakland, California, to...
|
| 8 |
8 Mar 1964 |
Pensacola Open This article is about the former PGA Tour event, for information on the former Nationwide Tour event, see Pensacola Classic.The Pensacola Open was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour...
|
-14 (71-68-66-69=274) |
Playoff |
Miller Barber Miller Barber is an American professional golfer who enjoyed significant success on the PGA Tour in the 1960s and 1970s, and a greater degree of success on the Senior PGA Tour in the 1980s.-Career:...
, Arnold PalmerArnold Daniel Palmer is an American professional golfer, who is generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men's professional golf. He has won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955...
|
| 9 |
31 May 1964 |
500 Festival Open Invitation The 500 Festival Open Invitation was a PGA Tour event in Indianapolis, Indiana played in the 1960s. It was sponsored by The 500 Festival, a not-for-profit volunteer organization that was created in 1957 to organize civic events to promote the Indianapolis 500...
|
-11 (70-66-70-67=273) |
3 strokes |
Doug Sanders George Douglas Sanders is a former American professional golfer who won twenty PGA Tour events during his career.-Early years:Sanders was born in Cedartown, Georgia. He grew up in a poor family, and picked cotton as a teenager...
, Art Wall, Jr.Arthur Jonathan Wall, Jr. was an American golfer.Wall was born in Honesdale, Pennsylvania. He attended Duke University, graduating in 1949 with a business degree....
|
| 10 |
20 Jun 1965 |
U.S. OpenThe United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
|
+2 (70–70–71–71=282) |
Playoff |
 Kel NagleKelvin David George Nagle is an Australian professional golfer best known for winning The Open Championship in 1960. He won at least one tournament each year from 1949 to 1975.Nagle was born in North Sydney...
|
| 11 |
13 Jul 1968 |
The Open ChampionshipThe Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...
|
+1 (74–71–71–73=289) |
2 stroke |
 Bob CharlesSir Robert James Charles, ONZ, KNZM, CBE is a New Zealand professional golfer whose achievements over five decades rank him among the most successful left-handed golfers of all time, being the first lefty to win a golf major, winning more than 70 titles, and beating his age twice during a...
, Jack NicklausJack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a...
|
| 12 |
20 Apr 1969 |
Tournament of Champions |
-4 (69-74-69-72=284) |
2 strokes |
Lee Trevino Lee Buck Trevino is an American professional golfer. He is an icon for Mexican Americans, and is often referred to as "The Merry Mex" and "Supermex". He won six major championships over the course of his career.-Early life:...
|
| 13 |
5 Apr 1970 The 1970 PGA Tour season was played from January 8 to December 13. The season consisted of 45 official money events. Billy Casper won the most tournaments, four, and there were six first-time winners. The tournament results and award winners are listed below....
|
Greater Greensboro Open |
-13 (70-63-73-65=271) |
2 strokes |
Miller Barber Miller Barber is an American professional golfer who enjoyed significant success on the PGA Tour in the 1960s and 1970s, and a greater degree of success on the Senior PGA Tour in the 1980s.-Career:...
|
| 14 |
21 Mar 1971 The 1971 PGA Tour season was played from January 7 to December 12. The season consisted of 44 official money events. Lee Trevino won the most tournaments, six, and there were 10 first-time winners. The tournament results and award winners are listed below....
|
Greater Jacksonville Open The Greater Jacksonville Open was a PGA Tour event that was played from 1945 until 1976.Shortly after World War II, the Jacksonville Open began play as a PGA Tour event in Jacksonville, Florida until it was discontinued in the mid-1950s. In the mid-1960s, the PGA Tour came to town again...
|
-7 (70-70-72-69=281) |
Playoff |
Hal Underwood |
| 15 |
28 Mar 1971 The 1971 PGA Tour season was played from January 7 to December 12. The season consisted of 44 official money events. Lee Trevino won the most tournaments, six, and there were 10 first-time winners. The tournament results and award winners are listed below....
|
National Airlines Open Invitational The National Airlines Open Invitational was a PGA Tour event that was played at the Country Club of Miami in the late 1960s and early 1970s. In 1973, National Airlines co-sponsored a different tournament — the Jackie Gleason Inverrary-National Airlines Classic; however, this sponsorship only...
|
-14 (69-67-70-68=274) |
2 strokes |
Lee Trevino Lee Buck Trevino is an American professional golfer. He is an icon for Mexican Americans, and is often referred to as "The Merry Mex" and "Supermex". He won six major championships over the course of his career.-Early life:...
|
| 16 |
26 Mar 1972 The 1972 PGA Tour season was played from January 6 to December 3. The season consisted of 46 official money events. Jack Nicklaus won the most tournaments, seven, and there were five first-time winners. The tournament results and award winners are listed below....
|
Greater New Orleans Open |
-9 (73-69-68-69=279) |
1 stroke |
Dave Eichelberger Martin Davis Eichelberger, Jr. is an American professional golfer who has won several tournaments at both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour levels....
, Jack NicklausJack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a...
|
| 17 |
6 Aug 1972 The 1972 PGA Tour season was played from January 6 to December 3. The season consisted of 46 official money events. Jack Nicklaus won the most tournaments, seven, and there were five first-time winners. The tournament results and award winners are listed below....
|
PGA ChampionshipThe PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship...
|
+1 (71-71-67-72=281) |
2 strokes |
Tommy Aaron Thomas Dean Aaron is a former American professional golfer who was a member of the PGA Tour during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. Aaron is best known for winning the 1973 Masters Tournament.- Early years :...
, Jim JamiesonJames A. Jamieson is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the 1970s.Jamieson was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan and raised in Moline, Illinois. He started playing golf at age 7 at Oakwood Country Club in Moline. He attended Oklahoma State University, where he was an...
|
| 18 |
9 Sep 1973 The 1973 PGA Tour season was played from January 4 to December 1. The season consisted of 48 official money events. Jack Nicklaus won the most tournaments, seven, and there were seven first-time winners. The tournament results and award winners are listed below.-Tournament results:The following...
|
Southern Open |
-10 (69-65-67-69=270) |
1 stroke |
Forrest Fezler Forrest Oliver Fezler is an American golf course design consultant and former PGA Tour professional golfer.-Early years:...
|
| 19 |
14 Apr 1974 The 1974 PGA Tour season was played from January 3 to November 3. The season consisted of 44 official money events. Johnny Miller won the most tournaments, eight, including the first three events. There were 10 first-time winners. The tournament results and award winners are listed...
|
Masters Tournament |
-10 (71-71-66-70=278) |
2 strokes |
Dave Stockton David Knapp Stockton is an American professional golfer who has won numerous tournaments on both the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour....
, Tom WeiskopfThomas Daniel Weiskopf is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour. His most successful decade was the 1970s, and he won 16 PGA Tour titles between 1968 and 1982. After winding down his tournament career, Weiskopf has become a noted golf course...
|
| 20 |
26 May 1974 The 1974 PGA Tour season was played from January 3 to November 3. The season consisted of 44 official money events. Johnny Miller won the most tournaments, eight, including the first three events. There were 10 first-time winners. The tournament results and award winners are listed...
|
Danny Thomas Memphis Classic |
-15 (65-72-69-67=273) |
3 strokes |
Lou Graham, Hubert Green Hubert Myatt Green is an American professional golfer who has won numerous professional golf tournaments at both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour level....
|
| 21 |
13 Jul 1974 The 1974 PGA Tour season was played from January 3 to November 3. The season consisted of 44 official money events. Johnny Miller won the most tournaments, eight, including the first three events. There were 10 first-time winners. The tournament results and award winners are listed...
|
Open Championship |
-2 (69-68-75-70=282) |
4 strokes |
 Peter OosterhuisPeter A. Oosterhuis is an English professional golfer and golf analyst.-Early years, amateur golf:Oosterhuis was born in London...
|
| 22 |
9 Apr 1978 The 1978 PGA Tour season was played from January 5 to November 5. The season consisted of 44 official money events. Tom Watson won the most tournaments, five, and there were seven first-time winners. The tournament results and award winners are listed below....
|
Masters Tournament |
−11 (72–72–69–64=277) |
1 stroke |
Rod Funseth James Rodney Funseth was an American professional golfer who played on both the PGA Tour and the Senior PGA Tour ....
, Hubert GreenHubert Myatt Green is an American professional golfer who has won numerous professional golf tournaments at both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour level....
, Tom WatsonThomas Sturges Watson is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and now mostly on the Champions Tour....
|
| 23 |
16 Apr 1978 The 1978 PGA Tour season was played from January 5 to November 5. The season consisted of 44 official money events. Tom Watson won the most tournaments, five, and there were seven first-time winners. The tournament results and award winners are listed below....
|
MONY Tournament of Champions |
-7 (70-68-76-67=281) |
2 strokes |
Andy North Andrew Stewart North is an American professional golfer who is best known for winning the U.S. Open twice.- Early years :North was born in Thorp, Wisconsin, and raised in Monona, Wisconsin...
, Lee TrevinoLee Buck Trevino is an American professional golfer. He is an icon for Mexican Americans, and is often referred to as "The Merry Mex" and "Supermex". He won six major championships over the course of his career.-Early life:...
|
| 24 |
23 Apr 1978 The 1978 PGA Tour season was played from January 5 to November 5. The season consisted of 44 official money events. Tom Watson won the most tournaments, five, and there were seven first-time winners. The tournament results and award winners are listed below....
|
Houston Open |
-18 (64-67-70-69=270) |
1 stroke |
Andy Bean Thomas Andrew Bean is an American professional golfer who previously played on the PGA Tour and currently plays on the Champions Tour...
|
PGA Tour playoff record (3-10)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent(s) | Result |
| 1 |
1958 |
Dallas Open Invitational |
Julius Boros Julius Nicholas Boros was a Hungarian-American professional golfer.-Early years:Boros was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut...
, John McMullinJohn McMullin is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the 1950s and 1960s.McMullin was born in Richmond, California. He was a pupil of noted black golf instructor Lucius Bateman whose other students included future PGA Tour winners Don Whitt, Dick Lotz and Tony Lema...
, Sam SneadSamuel Jackson Snead was an American professional golfer who was one of the top players in the world for most of four decades. Snead won a record 82 PGA Tour events including seven majors. He failed to win a U.S...
|
Snead won with birdie on first playoff hole |
| 2 |
1959 |
Memphis Open |
 Al BaldingAllan George Balding was a Canadian professional golfer, who won four events on the PGA Tour. In 1955 he became the first Canadian to win a PGA Tour event in the United States; Canadians Ken Black and Jules Huot had won PGA Tour events in Canada in the 1930s.Balding was born in Toronto,...
, Don WhittDonald Whitt was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the 1950s and 1960s.Whitt was a student of accomplished black golf instructor Lucius Bateman, teacher of such other multiple-tournament-winning PGA Touring pros as Tony Lema, John McMullin, and Dick Lotz...
|
Lost to par on second extra hole
Balding eliminated on first extra hole with birdie |
| 3 |
1961 |
American Golf Classic The American Golf Classic was a tournament on the PGA Tour from 1961 to 1976. It was the third event to be played at the storied Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio after the Rubber City Open Invitational and the 1960 PGA Championship.-Winners:...
|
Jay Hebert |
Lost to birdie on the second extra hole |
| 4 |
1962 |
Masters Tournament |
Dow Finsterwald Dow Henry Finsterwald, Sr. is an American professional golfer who is best known for winning the 1958 PGA Championship. He won 11 Tour titles between 1955 and 1963, played on four Ryder Cup teams, and served as non-playing captain for the 1977 U.S. Ryder Cup team.Finsterwald was born and raised in...
, Arnold PalmerArnold Daniel Palmer is an American professional golfer, who is generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men's professional golf. He has won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955...
|
Lost an 18-hole playoff (Palmer:68, Player:71, Finsterwald:77) |
| 5 |
1962 |
Memphis Open Invitational |
Lionel Hebert Lionel P. Hebert was an American golfer. He won five times on the PGA Tour including the 1957 PGA Championship, the last to be held at match play. His older brother Jay won the same event at stroke play in 1960. Lionel also played on the 1957 Ryder Cup team...
, Gene LittlerGene Alec Littler is an American professional golfer. Known for a solid temperament and nicknamed "Gene the Machine" for his smooth rhythmical swing, he once said that, "Golf is not a game of great shots. It's a game of the best misses. The people who win make the smallest mistakes."-Early years...
|
Hebert won with birdie on first extra hole |
| 6 |
1963 |
Palm Springs Golf Classic |
Jack NicklausJack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a...
|
Lost 18-hole playoff (Nicklaus:65, Player:73) |
| 7 |
1964 |
Pensacola Open This article is about the former PGA Tour event, for information on the former Nationwide Tour event, see Pensacola Classic.The Pensacola Open was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour...
|
Miller Barber Miller Barber is an American professional golfer who enjoyed significant success on the PGA Tour in the 1960s and 1970s, and a greater degree of success on the Senior PGA Tour in the 1980s.-Career:...
, Arnold PalmerArnold Daniel Palmer is an American professional golfer, who is generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men's professional golf. He has won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955...
|
Won an 18-hole playoff (Player:71, Palmer:72, Barber:74) |
| 8 |
1965 |
U.S. OpenThe United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
|
Kel Nagle Kelvin David George Nagle is an Australian professional golfer best known for winning The Open Championship in 1960. He won at least one tournament each year from 1949 to 1975.Nagle was born in North Sydney...
|
Won an 18-hole playoff (Player:71, Nagle:74) |
| 9 |
1967 |
Oklahoma City Open Invitational The Oklahoma City Open Invitational was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour that played at various clubs in Oklahoma City. The tournament first played in the 1920s under the name Oklahoma City Open....
|
Miller Barber Miller Barber is an American professional golfer who enjoyed significant success on the PGA Tour in the 1960s and 1970s, and a greater degree of success on the Senior PGA Tour in the 1980s.-Career:...
|
Lost to birdie on third extra hole |
| 10 |
1968 |
Azalea Open Invitational The Azalea Open Invitational was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour. It was last played in 1971. It was an official PGA Tour event in 1945 and from 1949 to 1970.It was also played under the names of the Azalea Open and the Wilmington Azalea Open....
|
Steve Reid Steven Reid is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and the Senior PGA Tour.Reid was born in Santa Barbara, California. Reid defeated Gary Player on the third extra hole in a playoff at the 1968 Azalea Open Invitational for his first and only PGA Tour win. His best finish in...
|
Lost to birdie on second extra hole |
| 11 |
1971 |
Greater Jacksonville Open The Greater Jacksonville Open was a PGA Tour event that was played from 1945 until 1976.Shortly after World War II, the Jacksonville Open began play as a PGA Tour event in Jacksonville, Florida until it was discontinued in the mid-1950s. In the mid-1960s, the PGA Tour came to town again...
|
Hal Underwood |
Won with par on second extra hole |
| 12 |
1971 |
Kemper Open |
Dale Douglass Dale Dwight Douglass is an American professional golfer who has won tournaments at both the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour level....
, Lee TrevinoLee Buck Trevino is an American professional golfer. He is an icon for Mexican Americans, and is often referred to as "The Merry Mex" and "Supermex". He won six major championships over the course of his career.-Early life:...
, Tom WeiskopfThomas Daniel Weiskopf is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour. His most successful decade was the 1970s, and he won 16 PGA Tour titles between 1968 and 1982. After winding down his tournament career, Weiskopf has become a noted golf course...
|
Weiskopf won with birdie on first extra hole |
| 13 |
1975 |
MONY Tournament of Champions |
Al Geiberger Allen Lee Geiberger, Sr. is an American professional golfer who has won numerous golf tournaments.Geiberger was born in Red Bluff, California...
|
Lost to birdie on first extra hole |
Major championshipsThe men's major golf championships, commonly known as the Major Championships, and often referred to simply as the majors, are the four most prestigious annual tournaments in professional golf...
are shown in
bold.
European Tour and other international wins
In addition to his wins on the PGA Tour, Player won more than 120 other tournaments in "regular", that is non-senior golf.
South Africa Tour (now the
Sunshine TourThe Sunshine Tour is a men's professional golf tour based in Southern Africa. For much of its history it was known either as the South African Tour or the FNB Tour, but it rebranded itself in an attempt to broaden its appeal...
)
73 wins between 1955 and 1981 including:
- South African Open: 13 times between 1956 and 1983
- South African Masters
The Nashua Masters, as it is currently known for sponsorship reasons, is one of the most prestigious golf tournaments on the Sunshine Tour. It is currently played in November with a prize fund of 1.2 million rand, and since 2001, has been held at the Wild Coast Sun Country Club in KwaZulu-Natal,...
: 10 times between 1959 and 1976
- South African PGA Championship
The Telkom PGA Championship, as it is currently known for sponsorship reasons, is one of the most prestigious golf tournaments on the Sunshine Tour...
: 5 times between 1959 and 1976
PGA Tour of AustralasiaThe PGA Tour of Australasia is a professional golf tour for men. Official events on the tour count for World Golf Ranking points. The tour was formed in 1973 as the PGA Tour of Australia and adopted its current name in 1991....
18 wins between 1956 and 1981 including:
- Australian Open
The Australian Open is one of the principal annual golf tournaments on the PGA Tour of Australasia, and also the OneAsia Tour since its formation in 2009. The event was first played in 1904 and takes place toward the end of each year...
: A record 7 times between 1958 and 1974. Jack Nicklaus won 6 and Greg NormanGregory John Norman AO is an Australian professional golfer and entrepreneur who spent 331 weeks as the world's Number 1 ranked golfer in the 1980s and 1990s...
5 times.
Other
At least 20 other wins between 1955 and 1984, including:
- World Cup: individual title in 1965 and 1977
- Piccadilly World Match Play Championship: 5 times between 1965 and 1974 (played in England, but not an official European Tour event at that time)
- World Series of Golf: 1965, 1968 and 1972 (U.S. – not a PGA Tour event at that time)
- Trophée Lancôme
The Trophée Lancôme was a professional golf tournament which was staged in France from 1970 to 2003.Gaëtan Mourgue D'Algue, a French golf enthusiast from Saint-Nom-la-Bretèche, hoped to popularize the then little-known sport of Golf in France during the early 1960s...
: 1975
Player also collected wins in Australia,
BrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, North Africa, West Africa, Canada, Japan and Latin America.
Champions Tour wins (19)
- 1985
The 1985 Senior PGA Tour was the sixth season since the Senior PGA Tour officially began in 1980 . The season consisted of 24 official money events with purses totalling $5,005,000, including two majors. Peter Thomson won the most tournaments, nine...
(1) Quadel Seniors ClassicThe Quadel Seniors Classic was a golf tournament on the Champions Tour from 1983 to 1985. It was played in Boca Raton, Florida at the Boca Grove Plantation.The purse for the 1985 tournament was US$200,000, with $30,000 going to the winner...
- 1986
The 1986 Senior PGA Tour was the seventh season since the Senior PGA Tour officially began in 1980 . The season consisted of 28 official money events with purses totalling $6,450,000, including three majors. Bruce Crampton won the most tournaments, seven...
(3) General Foods PGA Seniors' Championship, United Hospitals Senior Golf Championship, Denver Post Champions of Golf
- 1987
The 1987 Senior PGA Tour was the eighth season since the Senior PGA Tour officially began in 1980 . The season consisted of 32 official money events with purses totalling $8,905,000, including three majors. Chi Chi Rodriguez won the most tournaments, seven...
(3) Mazda Senior Tournament Players Championship, U.S. Senior Open, PaineWebber World Seniors Invitational
- 1988
The 1988 Senior PGA Tour was the ninth season since the Senior PGA Tour officially began in 1980 . The season consisted of 34 official money events with purses totalling $10,370,000, including three majors. Bob Charles and Gary Player won the most tournaments, five...
(5) General Foods PGA Seniors' Championship, Aetna Challenge, Southwestern Bell Classic, U.S. Senior Open, GTE North Classic
- 1989
The 1989 Senior PGA Tour was the 10th season since the Senior PGA Tour officially began in 1980 . The season consisted of 35 official money events with purses totalling $13,345,000 , including four majors. Bob Charles won the most tournaments, five...
(2) GTE North Classic, RJR ChampionshipThe RJR Championship was a golf tournament on the Champions Tour from 1987 to 2002. It was played in Clemmons, North Carolina at Tanglewood Park.The purse for the 2002 tournament was US$1,600,000, with $240,000 going to the winner...
- 1990
The 1990 Senior PGA Tour was the 11th season since the Senior PGA Tour officially began in 1980 . The season consisted of 38 official money events with purses totalling $17,800,000, including four majors. Lee Trevino won the most tournaments, seven...
(1) PGA Seniors' Championship
- 1991
The 1991 Senior PGA Tour was the 12th season since the Senior PGA Tour officially began in 1980 . The season consisted of 37 official money events with purses totalling $18,925,000, including four majors. Mike Hill won the most tournaments, five...
(1) Royal Caribbean Classic
- 1993
The 1993 Senior PGA Tour was the 14th season since the Senior PGA Tour officially began in 1980 . The season consisted of 38 official money events with purses totalling $26,500,000, including four majors. Dave Stockton won the most tournaments, five...
(1) Bank One Senior Classic
- 1995
The 1995 Senior PGA Tour was the 16th season since the Senior PGA Tour officially began in 1980 . The season consisted of 38 official money events with purses totalling $33,650,000, including four majors. Jim Colbert and Bob Murphy won the most tournaments, four...
(1) Bank One ClassicThe Bank One Classic was a golf tournament on the Champions Tour from 1983 to 1997. It was played in Lexington, Kentucky at the Griffin Gate Golf Club and at the Kearney Hill Links ....
- 1998
The 1998 Senior PGA Tour was the 19th season since the Senior PGA Tour officially began in 1980 . The season consisted of 38 official money events with purses totalling $45,850,650, including four majors. Hale Irwin won the most tournaments, seven...
(1) Northville Long Island Classic
Senior majorsMen's professional senior golf is for players aged 50 and above. Golf differs from all other sports in having lucrative competitions for this age group. The leading senior tour is the U.S. based Champions Tour, which was established in 1980 . It has established a roster of five major championships...
are shown in
bold. See "Other senior wins" below for Player's wins in the Senior British Open.
Other senior wins (15)
- 1986 Senior Skins Game (South Africa)
- 1987 Northville Invitational (United States), German PGA Team Championship
- 1988 Senior British Open (European Seniors Tour
The European Seniors Tour is a professional tour for male golfers aged 50 and over run by the PGA European Tour.The Tour was founded in 1992. In 2008 it had a total prize fund of €7,729,284, so it is much further behind the U.S.-based Champions Tour in relative prize money than the main European...
), Nissan Senior Skins (South Africa)
- 1990 Senior British Open (European Seniors Tour)
- 1991 Nissan Senior Skins (South Africa)
- 1993 Irish Senior Masters (European Seniors Tour)
- 1997 Dai-ichi Seimei Cup (Japan), Senior British Open (European Seniors Tour
The European Seniors Tour is a professional tour for male golfers aged 50 and over run by the PGA European Tour.The Tour was founded in 1992. In 2008 it had a total prize fund of €7,729,284, so it is much further behind the U.S.-based Champions Tour in relative prize money than the main European...
), Shell Wentworth Senior Masters (European Seniors Tour),
- 2000 Senior Skins Game (U.S. – unofficial event)
- 2005 Nelson Mandela Invitational (Sunshine Tour – unofficial event)
- 2009 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf
The Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf is a golf tournament on the Champions Tour. It is played annually in April currently in Savannah, Georgia at The Westin Savannah Harbor Resort. Liberty Mutual is the main sponsor of the tournament...
– Demaret Division (with Bob CharlesSir Robert James Charles, ONZ, KNZM, CBE is a New Zealand professional golfer whose achievements over five decades rank him among the most successful left-handed golfers of all time, being the first lefty to win a golf major, winning more than 70 titles, and beating his age twice during a...
)
- 2010 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf
The Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf is a golf tournament on the Champions Tour. It is played annually in April currently in Savannah, Georgia at The Westin Savannah Harbor Resort. Liberty Mutual is the main sponsor of the tournament...
– Demaret Division (with Bob CharlesSir Robert James Charles, ONZ, KNZM, CBE is a New Zealand professional golfer whose achievements over five decades rank him among the most successful left-handed golfers of all time, being the first lefty to win a golf major, winning more than 70 titles, and beating his age twice during a...
)
The Senior British Open is shown in bold as it is generally recognized as a major and it is now an official Champions Tour event and major. However, it was not an official Champions Tour event as recognized by the US PGA Tour when Player achieved his wins, and in contrast to early wins in regular British Opens by PGA Tour members, which are now included in their official PGA Tour win tallies, wins in early Senior British Opens by Champions Tour members have not been retrospectively designated as Champions Tour wins by the PGA Tour at this time. The Senior British Open is however recognized as a major by all other international bodies, such as the European Tour. It is widely believed the Americans will eventually designate these as majors just as they have the regular tour's British Open
Wins (9)
| Year | Championship | 54 Holes | Winning Score | Margin | Runner(s)-up |
| 1959 The 1959 Open Championship was a golf competition held at Muirfield. The competition was won by Gary Player.-Final leaderboard:-External links:*...
|
The Open ChampionshipThe Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...
|
4 shot deficit |
E (75–71–70–68=284) |
2 strokes |
Scotland Fred Bullock, Belgium Flory Van Donck Flory Van Donck was a Belgian professional golfer.Van Donck is widely regarded as the greatest ever Belgian golfer. During his career, he won more than fifty tournaments worldwide, including many of the most prestigious national opens of Europe...
|
| 1961 The 1961 Masters Tournament was contested from April 6 to April 10 at Augusta National Golf Club. It was the 25th Masters Tournament. 88 players entered the tournament and 41 of them made the cut at five-over-par...
|
Masters Tournament |
3 shot lead |
−8 (69–68–69–74=280) |
1 stroke |
United States Charles Coe Charles Robert "Charlie" Coe was an American golfer who is considered by many to be one of the greatest amateur golfers in history. A two-time U.S...
, United States Arnold PalmerArnold Daniel Palmer is an American professional golfer, who is generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men's professional golf. He has won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955...
|
| 1962 The 1962 PGA Championship was the 44th PGA Championship played July 19–22 at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. Gary Player won the championship.-Final leaderboard:-External links:* - at www.golfobserver.com...
|
PGA ChampionshipThe PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship...
|
2 shot lead |
−2 (72–67–69–70=278) |
1 stroke |
United States Bob Goalby Robert George Goalby is a former American professional golfer on the PGA Tour, who won the 1968 Masters Tournament, his lone major championship among 11 Tour wins achieved between 1958 and 1971....
|
| 1965 |
U.S. OpenThe United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
|
2 shot lead |
2 (70–70–71–71=282)
Playoff 1 |
Australia Kel Nagle Kelvin David George Nagle is an Australian professional golfer best known for winning The Open Championship in 1960. He won at least one tournament each year from 1949 to 1975.Nagle was born in North Sydney...
|
| 1968 The 1968 Open Championship was a golf competition held at Carnoustie Golf Links. The competition was won by Gary Player.-First round:-Second round:...
|
The Open ChampionshipThe Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...
(2) |
2 shot deficit |
1 (74–71–71–73=289)
2 strokes |
New Zealand Bob Charles Sir Robert James Charles, ONZ, KNZM, CBE is a New Zealand professional golfer whose achievements over five decades rank him among the most successful left-handed golfers of all time, being the first lefty to win a golf major, winning more than 70 titles, and beating his age twice during a...
, United States Jack NicklausJack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a...
|
| 1972 The 1972 PGA Championship was the 54th PGA Championship played August 3–6 at Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan...
|
PGA ChampionshipThe PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship...
(2) |
1 shot lead |
1 (71–71–67–72=281)
2 strokes |
United States Tommy Aaron Thomas Dean Aaron is a former American professional golfer who was a member of the PGA Tour during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. Aaron is best known for winning the 1973 Masters Tournament.- Early years :...
, United States Jim JamiesonJames A. Jamieson is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the 1970s.Jamieson was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan and raised in Moline, Illinois. He started playing golf at age 7 at Oakwood Country Club in Moline. He attended Oklahoma State University, where he was an...
|
| 1974 The 1974 Masters Tournament was the 38th edition of the golf tournament, contested April 11-14 at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. It was the first major championship of the 1974 season. The champion was Gary Player at 278 , two strokes better than runners-up Dave Stockton and...
|
Masters Tournament (2) |
1 shot deficit |
−10 (71–71–66–70=278) |
2 strokes |
United States Dave Stockton David Knapp Stockton is an American professional golfer who has won numerous tournaments on both the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour....
, United States Tom WeiskopfThomas Daniel Weiskopf is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour. His most successful decade was the 1970s, and he won 16 PGA Tour titles between 1968 and 1982. After winding down his tournament career, Weiskopf has become a noted golf course...
|
| 1974 The 1974 Open Championship was a golf competition held at Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club. The competition was won by Gary Player.-First round:-Second round:Amateurs: Lyle , James , Clark , Burch , Homer , Shaw ....
|
The Open ChampionshipThe Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...
(3) |
3 shot lead |
−2 (69–68–75–70=282) |
4 strokes |
England Peter Oosterhuis Peter A. Oosterhuis is an English professional golfer and golf analyst.-Early years, amateur golf:Oosterhuis was born in London...
|
| 1978 The 1978 Masters Tournament was a golf tournament held April 6-9 at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. Gary Player overcame a 7-shot deficit going into the final round to win his third Masters and ninth major championship...
|
Masters Tournament (3) |
7 shot deficit |
−11 (72–72–69–64=277) |
1 stroke |
United States Rod Funseth James Rodney Funseth was an American professional golfer who played on both the PGA Tour and the Senior PGA Tour ....
, United States Hubert GreenHubert Myatt Green is an American professional golfer who has won numerous professional golf tournaments at both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour level....
,
United States Tom WatsonThomas Sturges Watson is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and now mostly on the Champions Tour....
|
1 Defeated Kel Nagle in 18-hole playoff – Player 71 (+1), Nagle 74 (+4).
Results timeline
| Tournament |
1956 |
1957 |
1958 |
1959 |
| The Masters |
DNP |
T24 |
CUT |
T8 |
U.S. OpenThe United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
|
DNP |
DNP |
2 |
T15 |
The Open ChampionshipThe Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...
|
4 |
T24 |
7 |
1 |
PGA ChampionshipThe PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship...
|
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
| Tournament |
1960 |
1961 |
1962 |
1963 |
1964 |
1965 |
1966 |
1967 |
1968 |
1969 |
| The Masters |
T6 |
1 |
2 |
T5 |
T5 |
T2 |
T28 |
T6 |
T7 |
T33 |
U.S. OpenThe United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
|
T19 |
T9 |
T6 |
T8 |
T23 |
1 |
T15 |
T12 |
T16 |
T48 |
The Open ChampionshipThe Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...
|
7 |
WD |
CUT |
T7 |
T8 |
WD |
T4 |
T3 |
1 |
T23 |
PGA ChampionshipThe PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship...
|
DNP |
T29 |
1 |
T8 |
T13 |
T33 |
T3 |
DNP |
DNP |
2 |
| Tournament |
1970 |
1971 |
1972 |
1973 |
1974 |
1975 |
1976 |
1977 |
1978 |
1979 |
| The Masters |
3 |
T6 |
T10 |
DNP |
1 |
T30 |
T28 |
T19 |
1 |
T17 |
U.S. OpenThe United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
|
T44 |
T27 |
T15 |
12 |
T8 |
T43 |
T23 |
T10 |
T6 |
T2 |
The Open ChampionshipThe Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...
|
CUT |
7 |
6 |
T14 |
1 |
T32 |
T28 |
T22 |
T34 |
T19 |
PGA ChampionshipThe PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship...
|
T12 |
T4 |
1 |
T51 |
7 |
T33 |
T13 |
T31 |
T26 |
T23 |
| Tournament |
1980 |
1981 |
1982 |
1983 |
1984 |
1985 |
1986 |
1987 |
1988 |
1989 |
| The Masters |
T6 |
T15 |
T15 |
CUT |
T21 |
T36 |
CUT |
T35 |
CUT |
CUT |
U.S. OpenThe United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
|
CUT |
T26 |
CUT |
T20 |
T43 |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
CUT |
CUT |
The Open ChampionshipThe Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...
|
CUT |
CUT |
T42 |
CUT |
CUT |
CUT |
T35 |
T66 |
T60 |
CUT |
PGA ChampionshipThe PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship...
|
T26 |
T49 |
CUT |
T42 |
T2 |
CUT |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
| Tournament |
1990 |
1991 |
1992 |
1993 |
1994 |
1995 |
1996 |
1997 |
1998 |
1999 |
| The Masters |
T24 |
CUT |
CUT |
60 |
CUT |
CUT |
CUT |
CUT |
46 |
CUT |
U.S. OpenThe United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
|
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
The Open ChampionshipThe Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...
|
CUT |
T57 |
CUT |
CUT |
CUT |
T68 |
CUT |
CUT |
CUT |
CUT |
PGA ChampionshipThe PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship...
|
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
| Tournament |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
| The Masters |
CUT |
CUT |
CUT |
CUT |
CUT |
CUT |
CUT |
CUT |
CUT |
CUT |
U.S. OpenThe United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
|
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
The Open ChampionshipThe Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...
|
CUT |
CUT |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
PGA ChampionshipThe PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship...
|
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP = Did not play
WD = Withdrew
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10
Summary
- Starts – 150
- Wins – 9
- 2nd place finishes – 6
- Top 3 finishes – 18
- Top 5 finishes – 23
- Top 10 finishes – 44
- Longest streak of top-10s in majors – 7
Wins (6)
| Year | Championship | Winning Score | Margin | Runner(s)-up |
| 1986 |
General Foods PGA Seniors' Championship |
−7 (68–68–73–72=281) |
2 strokes |
United States Lee Elder Robert Lee Elder is an American golfer. He is best remembered for becoming the first African-American to play in the Masters Tournament in 1975.-Background and family:...
|
| 1987 |
U.S. Senior Open The U.S. Senior Open is one of the major championships in men's senior golf. It was first played in 1980 and is administered by the United States Golf Association and is recognized as a major championship by both the Champions Tour and the European Seniors Tour...
|
−14 (69–68–67–66=270) |
6 strokes |
United States Doug Sanders George Douglas Sanders is a former American professional golfer who won twenty PGA Tour events during his career.-Early years:Sanders was born in Cedartown, Georgia. He grew up in a poor family, and picked cotton as a teenager...
|
| 1987 |
Mazda Senior Tournament Players Championship |
−8 (69–73–69–69=280) |
1 stroke |
Australia Bruce CramptonBruce Crampton is an Australian professional golfer.Crampton was born in Sydney, New South Wales, and attended Kogarah High School from 1948-1950. He turned professional in 1953....
 Puerto Rico Chi-Chi Rodríguez |
| 1988 |
General Foods PGA Seniors' Championship (2) |
−4 (69–73–72–70=284) |
3 strokes |
Puerto Rico Chi-Chi Rodríguez |
| 1988 |
U.S. Senior Open The U.S. Senior Open is one of the major championships in men's senior golf. It was first played in 1980 and is administered by the United States Golf Association and is recognized as a major championship by both the Champions Tour and the European Seniors Tour...
(2) |
E (74–70–71–73=288) |
Playoff1 |
New Zealand Bob Charles Sir Robert James Charles, ONZ, KNZM, CBE is a New Zealand professional golfer whose achievements over five decades rank him among the most successful left-handed golfers of all time, being the first lefty to win a golf major, winning more than 70 titles, and beating his age twice during a...
|
| 1990 |
PGA Seniors' Championship (3) |
−7 (74–69–65–73=281) |
2 strokes |
Puerto Rico Chi-Chi Rodríguez |
1 Won in an 18-hole playoff, Player (68) to Charles (70).
Results timeline
| Tournament |
1986 |
1987 |
1988 |
1989 |
| Senior PGA Championship The Senior PGA Championship is one of the five major championships in men's senior golf. It is administered by the Professional Golfers' Association of America and is recognized as a major championship by both the Champions Tour and the European Seniors Tour. It was formerly an unofficial money...
|
1 |
T8 |
1 |
T8 |
| U.S. Senior Open |
2 |
1 |
1 |
T9 |
| The Tradition The Tradition is one of the five major championships recognized by the U.S.-based Champions Tour, the world's leading tour for professional golfers aged fifty and older. The inaugural event was staged in 1989.Unlike the U.S...
|
NYF |
NYF |
NYF |
2 |
| Senior Players Championship The Senior Players Championship is one of the five major championships on golf's Champions Tour. Unlike the U.S. Senior Open, the Senior PGA Championship and the Senior British Open, it is not recognized as a major by the European Seniors Tour, and is not part of that tour's schedule. The inaugural...
|
T14 |
1 |
T3 |
3 |
| Tournament |
1990 |
1991 |
1992 |
1993 |
1994 |
1995 |
1996 |
1997 |
1998 |
1999 |
| Senior PGA Championship The Senior PGA Championship is one of the five major championships in men's senior golf. It is administered by the Professional Golfers' Association of America and is recognized as a major championship by both the Champions Tour and the European Seniors Tour. It was formerly an unofficial money...
|
1 |
T8 |
5 |
T16 |
T19 |
T60 |
T31 |
T20 |
T39 |
T43 |
| U.S. Senior Open |
T3 |
T8 |
T3 |
T17 |
T13 |
T19 |
T60 |
T21 |
DNP |
DNP |
| The Tradition The Tradition is one of the five major championships recognized by the U.S.-based Champions Tour, the world's leading tour for professional golfers aged fifty and older. The inaugural event was staged in 1989.Unlike the U.S...
|
2 |
T15 |
T20 |
T17 |
T27 |
T17 |
T9 |
T51 |
T17 |
T50 |
| Senior Players Championship The Senior Players Championship is one of the five major championships on golf's Champions Tour. Unlike the U.S. Senior Open, the Senior PGA Championship and the Senior British Open, it is not recognized as a major by the European Seniors Tour, and is not part of that tour's schedule. The inaugural...
|
T18 |
T43 |
T18 |
T33 |
T42 |
DNP |
T49 |
T49 |
DNP |
T29 |
| Tournament |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
| Senior PGA Championship The Senior PGA Championship is one of the five major championships in men's senior golf. It is administered by the Professional Golfers' Association of America and is recognized as a major championship by both the Champions Tour and the European Seniors Tour. It was formerly an unofficial money...
|
T46 |
T8 |
T45 |
CUT |
CUT |
CUT |
CUT |
CUT |
DNP |
DNP |
| The Senior Open Championship |
-1 |
-1 |
-1 |
T51 |
CUT |
T61 |
T65 |
DNP |
CUT |
CUT |
| U.S. Senior Open |
CUT |
57 |
CUT |
T54 |
CUT |
DNP |
CUT |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
| The Tradition The Tradition is one of the five major championships recognized by the U.S.-based Champions Tour, the world's leading tour for professional golfers aged fifty and older. The inaugural event was staged in 1989.Unlike the U.S...
|
T34 |
T19 |
T62 |
75 |
T64 |
T73 |
T76 |
DNP |
DNP |
67 |
| Senior Players Championship The Senior Players Championship is one of the five major championships on golf's Champions Tour. Unlike the U.S. Senior Open, the Senior PGA Championship and the Senior British Open, it is not recognized as a major by the European Seniors Tour, and is not part of that tour's schedule. The inaugural...
|
T57 |
T56 |
DNP |
DNP |
T58 |
DNP |
T74 |
DNP |
DNP |
DNP |
1The Senior Open Championship was not a Champions Tour major until 2003, though it was on the European Seniors Tour. Player won the event three times prior to this recognition.
DNP = Did not play
CUT = Missed the half-way cut
NYF = Tournament not yet founded
"T" = tied
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
Equipment
Callaway is Gary Player's preference, and it is all that is in his bag.
- Driver: FT-5 Callaway
- Fairway Woods: Strong 4, 5 and 9 Callaway Steelhead Woods
- Hybrid: Callaway Heavenwood 4H
- Irons: 5-PW X-Tour Callaway
- Sand wedges: 56 Degree and 64 Degree X-Tour Callaway
- Putter: Odyssey Whitehot #1
- Ball: Callaway HX Tour
- Glove: Callaway
- Shoes: Gary Player Collection
- Putter Grip: Odyssey
- Apparel: Gary Player Collection
- Belt: Gary Player Collection
Golf course design
Through the years, Player and Gary Player Design have executed a portfolio of over 300 projects in 35 countries on five continents. The mission of Gary Player Design is to conduct their business in the same manner in which Gary Player has conducted himself as a golfer and gentleman during his 50-year career. Their services revolve around building long-term mutually rewarding relationships with clients by displaying integrity and credibility in a business setting. From project conceptualization through planning, design, construction, marketing and opening, the group takes a proactive role in providing experienced solutions throughout the intricate development process.
The company offers three different design brands: Gary Player Design, Player Design and Black Knight Design. The marketing advantages of each of these brands vary according to the personal participation of Player, as well as the access to different levels of intellectual property.
Gary Player Design also upholds a strict environmental policy, which includes minimizing site disturbance, promoting organic applications, and specifying environmentally-sensitive building materials in their golf course design approach. They continue to refine efforts in these areas and stay current on related state of the art industry methods.
Their primary focus, however, is on one of earth’s most precious resources and one of Gary Player's greatest concerns – water. According to Player, "Water conservation techniques are not only our fundamental responsibility, but are important to the industry of golf and the global growth of the wonderful game of golf, as real water-savings also mean real cost-savings."
Controversy
In July 2007, a media controversy emerged over his statements at
The Open ChampionshipThe Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...
golf tournament about the use of performance enhancing drugs in golf. Subsequently, the
PGA TourThe PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
introduced a formal policy.
Player has almost always "spoken his mind" and been considered a controversial albeit frank and forthright professional golfer. He has been a pioneer of diet, health and fitness although he upset the Atkins Diet organization by disagreeing with their "all protein" approach. He was branded a "traitor" by South African Nationalist Government supporters for inviting and bringing both black tennis pro
Arthur AsheArthur Robert Ashe, Jr. was a professional tennis player, born and raised in Richmond, Virginia. During his career, he won three Grand Slam titles, putting him among the best ever from the United States...
and golfer
Lee ElderRobert Lee Elder is an American golfer. He is best remembered for becoming the first African-American to play in the Masters Tournament in 1975.-Background and family:...
to play in South Africa. He was the first golfer to call on mandatory drug testing on all tours around the world.
In 1966, Player was quoted in a book entitled Grand Slam Golf in which he wrote:
Player has apologized profusely about this statement, saying he was a young man who never proof read the book's manuscript prior to going to print and that the quote was never made by him but rather the writer of the book."
It is believed that Player's attitude towards the apartheid regime is very different today and has so far raised over 100 million dollars through his foundation to support under-privileged education in South Africa during apartheid.
In 2002, Player designed a golf course in Burma, named by the developers, The Pride of
MyanmarBurma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
, currently frequented by tourists as well as generals of the army. There are unsubstantiated accusations that the land for the courses was seized from poor farmers without compensation. Regardless, as a designer Player had nothing to do with how the land was acquired.
Player has hosted the
Nelson Mandela InvitationalThe Nelson Mandela Invitational was a charity golf tournament conceptualised by Marc Player, CEO of Black Knight International, which took place annually in South Africa from 2000 until 2006. It was named in honor of former South African President Nelson Mandela, and hosted by South Africa's most...
golf tournament since 2000. In October 2007, further media controversy arose about his involvement in the 2002 design of a golf course in Burma. As a result of the recent political uprisings in Burma, the
Nelson Mandela Children's FundThe Nelson Mandela Children's Fund is a charitable organization founded by Nelson Mandela, based in South Africa. Its mission is to help individuals from birth to age 22, particularly orphans of the AIDS crisis.-History:...
has withdrawn from the fundraising golf tournament because of Player's unsubstantiated business links with the country. Both
Nelson MandelaNelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
and Archbishop
Desmond TutuDesmond Mpilo Tutu is a South African activist and retired Anglican bishop who rose to worldwide fame during the 1980s as an opponent of apartheid...
have however accepted Player's position and statements on Burma. Player refused to withdraw as he personally built the event from scratch and issued a statement rebutting these claims via his website. The event is now annually staged at the Fancourt Resort as the Gary Player Invitational and is South Africa's largest and most successful charity event, having raised a record amount of over R250 million for various children's charities.
Distinctions and honors
- On 8 June 1961, Player was the guest on NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie FordThe Ford Show is a half-hour comedy/variety program, starring singer and folk humorist Tennessee Ernie Ford, which aired in color on NBC television on Thursday evenings from October 4, 1956 to June 29, 1961....
. In a comedy skit, he gives Tennessee Ernie FordErnest Jennings Ford , better known as Tennessee Ernie Ford, was an American recording artist and television host who enjoyed success in the country and Western, pop, and gospel musical genres...
a golf lesson.
- Received the 1966 Bob Jones Award
The Bob Jones Award is the highest honor given by the United States Golf Association in recognition of distinguished sportsmanship in golf. It is named in honor of Bobby Jones.-Winners:*1955 Francis Ouimet*1956 William C. Campbell*1957 Babe Zaharias...
from the United States Golf AssociationThe United States Golf Association is the United States' national association of golf courses, clubs and facilities and the governing body of golf for the U.S. and Mexico. Together with The R&A, the USGA produces and interprets the Rules of Golf. The USGA also provides a national handicap system...
.
- Named Honorary Member of the R&A in 1994.
- Received Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from St. Andrews in 1995.
- Received Honorary Doctor of Science from the University of Ulster
The University of Ulster is a multi-campus, co-educational university located in Northern Ireland. It is the largest single university in Ireland, discounting the federal National University of Ireland...
, Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
in 1997
- The WGC-Bridgestone Invitational
The WGC-Bridgestone Invitational is one of the annual World Golf Championships for male professional golfers. It is sanctioned and organized by the International Federation of PGA Tours and the prize money is official money on both the PGA Tour and the PGA European Tour...
trophy is named the Gary Player Cup.
- Named Honorary Member of Carnoustie
Carnoustie is a town and former police burgh in the council area of Angus, Scotland. It is situated at the mouth of the Barry Burn on the North Sea coast...
in 1999
- Received Honorary Doctorate in Law, University of Dundee, Scotland in 1999
- South African Sportsman of the Century award in 2000
- Received the 2003 Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award at the Laureus World Sports Awards
The Laureus World Sports Awards are awarded annually to sportspeople who have been outstanding during the previous year. The Laureus World Sports Awards were established in 1999 by Founding Patrons Daimler and Richemont and is supported by its Global Partners Mercedes-Benz, IWC Schaffhausen and...
in Monte CarloMonte Carlo is an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco....
.
- Awarded the Order of Ikhamanga
The Order of Ikhamanga is a South African honour. It was instituted on 30 November 2003 and is granted by the President of South Africa for achievements in arts, culture, literature, music, journalism, and sports...
(in gold) by President MbekiThabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki is a South African politician who served two terms as the second post-apartheid President of South Africa from 14 June 1999 to 24 September 2008. He is also the brother of Moeletsi Mbeki...
of South Africa for excellence in golf and contribution to non-racial sport in South Africa.
- He was the world's first golfer to be featured on any country's postal stamp in South Africa.
- Has designed over 300 golf courses on six continents around the world.
- Coined one of the most quoted aphorism
An aphorism is an original thought, spoken or written in a laconic and memorable form.The term was first used in the Aphorisms of Hippocrates...
s of post-WarWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
sport: "The harder you practice, the luckier you get."
- He currently plays on the U.S. Champions Tour
The Champions Tour, a golf tour run by the PGA Tour, hosts a series of events annually in the United States and the United Kingdom for golfers 50 years of age and older. Many of the PGA Tour's most successful golfers have gone on to play on the Champions Tour.The Senior PGA Championship, founded in...
and European Seniors Tour occasionally.
- He received the 2006 Payne Stewart Award
The Payne Stewart Award is an award given by the PGA Tour in honor of World Golf Hall of Famer Payne Stewart. It is given to a player who shows respect for the traditions of the game, commitment to uphold the game's heritage of charitable support and professional and meticulous presentation of...
from the PGA Tour.
- Played in his 52nd Masters Tournament at Augusta National in April 2009, extending his record of for most Masters appearances
- Inducted into the African American Sports Hall of Fame in May 2007, with Lifetime Achievement Award
- Has played in a record 46 consecutive British Open Championships, winning 3 times over 3 decades.
- Stars with Camilo Villegas
Camilo Villegas is a Colombian professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour and the European Tour.-Early years:Villegas was born in Medellín, Colombia, and took up golf as a child...
in a MasterCardMastercard Incorporated or MasterCard Worldwide is an American multinational financial services corporation with its headquarters in the MasterCard International Global Headquarters, Purchase, Harrison, New York, United States...
"priceless foursome" television commercial launched during the U.S. Open in June 2009
- In November, 2009 he was awarded the inaugural Breeders Cup "Sports and Racing Excellence Award" at Santa Anita Park in California which honors owners and breeders of thoroughbred race horses.
- Was inducted into the Asian Pacific Golf Hall of Fame with Jack Nicklaus in 2011 at a ceremony in Pattaya, Thailand.
See also
- Career Grand Slam Champions
- Golfers with most PGA Tour wins
This is a list of golfers who have won five or more official money events on the PGA Tour.Players under 50 years of age are shown in bold. On his 50th birthday a golfer becomes eligible to compete on the Champions Tour, and he is unlikely to add to his tally of PGA Tour wins after that date This is...
- Golfers with most major championship wins
- Golfers with most Sunshine Tour wins
This is a list of golfers who have recorded the most number of tournament wins on the Sunshine Tour since it was established. It was previously named the South African winter Tour, the FNB Winter Tour and the South African Tour. This list contains golfers who have won any number of events that are...
- Longest PGA Tour win streaks
The following represents the golfers who have won at least 3 consecutive starts in PGA Tour events. Note that in some cases the players have competed in and failed to win non-PGA Tour events in between these events.Sources:*ESPN *PGA TOUR 2007 Guide...
- Golfers with most Champions Tour wins
This is a list of all the golfers who have won ten or more official events on the U.S. based Champions Tour, the leading golf tour in the world for men aged 50 and above. The list is up-to-date through August 7, 2011.-See also:...
- Golfers with most Champions Tour major championship wins
This article lists all the men who have won senior golf's major championships. The tallies do not include wins in the Senior PGA Championship and the Senior British Open before they became Champions Tour majors. The five majors are shown in the order in which they are currently played each year....
- Golfers with most PGA Tour of Australasia wins
This is a list of golfers who have recorded the most tournament wins on the PGA Tour of Australasia since it was established in 1911. It is currently known as the PGA Tour of Australasia. It was previously named the Australian Tour from 1973 to 1991. This list contains golfers who have won any...
External links