Gary Player

Gary Player ( born November 1, 1935 in Johannesburg) is a South African professional golf athletes and one of the best golf players of all time. His main nickname is the "Black Knight", the Black Knight (because its always black uniform).

Life

Player was born as the third of three children. His father Harry worked as a Captain in a gold mine. As Gary Player was eight years old, his mother Muriel died of cancer. Only at the age of 14 years began to play golf player. In 1953 he was still 17 years old, professional golfer. In January 1957, he married Vivienne, with whom he has six children.

Achievements

Player rose in the late 1950s in the North American PGA Tour was won the money list in 1961 and gained there a total of 24 victories. But he also played worldwide very successful with, traveled about 22 million kilometers and won alongside more than 160 tournaments, including no fewer than nine majors and countless prestigious trophies in ( record ) series.

Gary Player is the only golfer of the 20th century, who won the Open Championship in three different decades for himself (1959, 1968 and 1974). In 1998, he broke the record set by Sam Snead when he made ​​the cut at the Masters as the oldest player to date. From 1955 to 1982 he managed every year at least one international tournament victory, the World Matchplay title was won player five times, won the Australian Open seven times and the South African Open three times. He is also the only golfer who has ever round of 60 at a professionally discharged National Open - could achieve, as happened at the Brazilian Open in 1974 - a 59.

As South Africans, it was to be allowed to compete in the Ryder Cup player denied. For the newly Presidents Cup as a player he was too old, but at least he was as captain in 2003 and 2005 with it.

Since 1985 Gary Player will play as a senior on the Champions Tour, won in the same year his first tournament until 1990 always in the top 10 on the money list and won six senior majors. Together with the three Senior British Open titles which belong to the European Seniors Tour, it has thus brought to nine majors in the senior level player.

Other activities

Gary Player is a popular golf course designer with over 300 projects around the globe. He leads the Black Knight International, which covers a vast range of services around the game of golf. Away from golf, Gary Player supports his foundation The Player Foundation world the education of children and young people and the building of schools.

Quote

"The harder you practice, the luckier you get, "

Most important awards and honors

PGA Tour victories

Major championships are shown in bold.

Other tournament victories

Only a small excerpt:

  • South African Open: 13 times 1956-1983
  • South African Masters: 10 times 1959-1976
  • South African PGA: 5 times 1959-1976
  • Australian Open: 7 wins 1958-1974
  • World Cup: individual competition in 1965 and 1977
  • World Match Play Championship: 5 wins 1965-1974.
  • World Series of Golf: 1965, 1968 and 1972
  • Lancome Trophy: 1975

Champions Tour victories

Senior majors are shown in bold.

More seniors tournament victories

Senior majors are shown in bold.

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