WEST PALM BAY, Fla. – For Gary Player shooting his age no longer poses a challenge.
It could be difficult for someone aged 87 to get out of bed. It might be difficult for someone who has lived through 10 decades or even parts of them to play putt-putt.
Player’s only goal each time he plays 18 holes is to improve his age by 15 shots.
Player’s 76 on Augusta National Sunday, in which he claimed he only used the cart to go uphill, was the 3,072nd time in a line that he shot his age or higher.
Impossible? It sounds impossible until you learn that the first time the man shot his age was back in 2000. At 64 years old.
Remember the headlines from 2000? Bush vs. Gore. Player vs. Time.
Bush and Player won.
Player told reporters on Monday that the Pope had been an altar boy when he missed a fairway.
Pope Francis is one-year younger than Gary Player.
Golf becoming easier for player
Gary Player was born on January 15, 1935, in Johannesburg, South Africa. Amelia Earhart was the first to fly alone over the Pacific Ocean in 1935.
He lives on Jupiter Island part-time for four months of the year. Then he spends two months in Britain, two months in Johannesburg, and two months in China, India, Australia, or someplace similar.
He said, “I wanted more than anyone to win and travel in different countries.”
Player was the keynote speaker at the Sports Business Club of the Palm Beaches’ event held at the Palm Beach Kennel Club on Monday. He touched on many topics, including his golf game (which is tied to his health), LIV and the greatest player of all time.
Player’s game is 240 yards from the tee. All of this he got two weeks ago, when he and Tom Watson served as honorary starters for the Masters. He said he must shoot 16-over par or better in order to shoot his age. (He will be 88 years old in November).
He said, “I could do it with my eyes shut.”
He had to have at least one Sunday open when he continued to soothe any bad feelings at Augusta National with the green jackets. Player said that it was sad he couldn’t play a round of golf with his grandchildren without “having to beg” a member to play with them. He had ranked the Masters No. The Masters ranked No. 4 in the majors. The player had three birdies on the No. 18 is an uphill dogleg to the right. The player shot a score of 76.
He said, “And with one hand.” The right hand of a player in South Africa is bandaged following eight stitches after falling from a horse.
“I find nothing tough about golf — I used to find it tough in my prime — but now, you have a ball which goes 50 yards further. You got metal heads. I never miss the fairway. “I didn’t miss any fairways (Sunday), with just one hand,” Player said.
“I am averaging par for my age.” I usually beat my age by 15 shots. I average 73. It’s an entirely different game. “It’s a completely different game.”
This prime was utterly stunning: nine majors on each of the PGA Tour Tour Champions. Nearly 160 professional victories. World Golf Hall of Fame member. The original “Big Three” were Player, Nicklaus, and Arnold Palmer.
He said, “I wanted Arnie and Jack to be better than me. I wanted to be best.”
The key to Player’s longevity is exercise. “My body is like a fifty-year-old,” he says. He also credits other life principles such as sleeping nine hours a night, eating only two meals per day, skipping the evening meal (“you don’t fill up your car with gas when you leave it in your garage overnight”), laughing and having an “unmeasured amount of love” in his heart.
He said, “I would like to live until 100.”
Golfers of LIV: Be honest
Player claims he doesn’t believe in retirement. He said, “I still work as hard as I did when I was 20.”
He is also an ambassador for Golf Saudi. This means he represents women’s and junior golf as well as building golf courses. However, this caused controversy when he asked those who had joined the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Tour.
On Monday, Player reiterated that LIV was primarily aimed at “guys who can’t win in the regular tour anymore or if they could they might win a” plus a few other people.
Player: “My father taught respect for the opinion of others. He was a poor man but brilliant. “And this is very important.” Respect the other person’s opinion, no matter what the topic, politics or otherwise. Just come out and admit that you’re joining the group for money. Just be honest. Everybody’s entitled.”
Cameron Smith, who was ranked No. 2 in the world when he joined LIV as a member last year, was the player who most surprised him. After winning the British Open, Cameron Smith was ranked No. 2 in the World.
Player asked: “What kind of legacy will he leave behind?” He’s a real potential champion. What is his legacy going to be?”
