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Posted March 24, 2012, 8:01 pm
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Gary Player will join Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus as honorary starter for Masters

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    Gary Player will join Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus as honorary starter for Masters
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    Jock Hutchison (left) and Fred McLeod were the first honorary starters at the Masters Tournament.
  • Article Photos
    Gary Player will join Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus as honorary starter for Masters
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    Jock Hutchison
  • Article Photos
    Gary Player will join Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus as honorary starter for Masters
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    Gary Player tips his hat during the second round of the 2009 Masters Tournament, which was his record 52nd and final appearance.
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    Gary Player will join Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus as honorary starter for Masters
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    Byron Nelson waves to the crowd after teeing off as an honorary starter for the 2000 Masters Tournament. Nelson hit his final tee shot in 2001 - "OK, ball, one more time," Nelson said as he addressed his golf ball that morning.
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    Gary Player will join Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus as honorary starter for Masters
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    Gene Sarazen, shown in 1997, served as an honorary starter from 1981 to 1999.
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    Gary Player will join Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus as honorary starter for Masters
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    Gary Player (from left), Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus are pictured in the Butler Cabin at Augusta National Golf Club during the 1965 Masters Tournament.
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    Gary Player will join Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus as honorary starter for Masters
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    Two-time Masters runner-up Ken Venturi stepped in as an honorary starter in 1983 for Byron Nelson, who was tending to his ailing wife.
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    Gary Player will join Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus as honorary starter for Masters
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    Sam Snead's last year as an honorary starter was in 2002. He had served in the role since 1984.
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    Gary Player will join Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus as honorary starter for Masters
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    Jack Nicklaus joined Arnold Palmer as an honorary starter in 2010. Nicklaus is a six-time winner of the Masters Tournament.
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    Gary Player will join Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus as honorary starter for Masters
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    Honorary starter Arnold Palmer was the Masters Tournament's first four-time winner. Palmer revived the tradition of honorary starters in 2007 and continues that role today.
  • Article Photos
    Gary Player will join Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus as honorary starter for Masters
  • Article Photos
    Gary Player will join Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus as honorary starter for Masters
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    A placard is loaded with the names of Gene Sarazen, 95, Byron Nelson, 85, and Sam Snead, 84, before the group tees off in 1997.
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    Gary Player will join Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus as honorary starter for Masters
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    The traditional start of the Masters varied a little this year, as one of the honorary starters, Jock Hutchinson, 88, didn't tee off due to health reasons. Hutchinson (L) applauds 90-year-old Freddy McLeod as he is the first to tee off in the 1973 Masters.4/5/73 UPI Photo SPORTS
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    Gary Player will join Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus as honorary starter for Masters
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    Fred McLeod, left and Alex Smith LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
  • Article Photos
    Gary Player will join Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus as honorary starter for Masters
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    Fred McLeod LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
  • Article Photos
    Gary Player will join Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus as honorary starter for Masters
    Photos description
    Fred McLeod LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
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    Gary Player will join Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus as honorary starter for Masters
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    Circa 1920 Jock Hutchison was the first honorary starter at the Masters Golf Tournament. Courtesy of The PGA of America
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    Gary Player will join Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus as honorary starter for Masters
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    Gary Player (left) watches as Jack Nicklaus (right) and Arnold Palmer laugh after Nicklaus teed off on No. 9 during the Par-3 Contest during Masters Week in 2010.
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    Gary Player will join Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus as honorary starter for Masters
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    From 1958 through 1966, only one golfer other than Gary Player (from left), Jack Nicklaus or Arnold Palmer won the Mast­ers Tournament.
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    Gary Player will join Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus as honorary starter for Masters
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    Gary Player (from left) talks with Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus on the second hole tee during the second round of the 2001 Masters at Augusta National Golf Club.

Gary Player is looking forward to his reunion with fellow Big Three members Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus next week.

That it comes on the first tee at Augusta National Golf Club as all three hit ceremonial tee shots to open the Masters Tournament makes it that much more special.

“We had a great camaraderie of friendship, which was great, and of course we wanted to beat each other,” Player said in recalling the hard-fought battles against Palmer and Nicklaus. “We were great friends. We traveled around the world trying to promote golf.”

Palmer, the elder statesman of the Big Three, revived the tradition of honorary starters in 2007. Nicklaus joined him in 2010, and Masters and Augusta National Chairman Billy Payne announced last summer that Player would join them this year.

Player, a three-time Mas­ters winner, admits he’ll have to get his nerves under control for Thursday morning’s opening ceremony.

“There will be a little bit of tension, teeing off,” he said. “Just a little bit of nervousness.”

The tradition began in 1963 with Jock Hutchison and Fred McLeod, a pair of major championship winners, starting the tournament together. By the 1980s, the rite of spring had evolved with the trio of Gene Sarazen, Sam Snead and Byron Nelson all hitting opening tee shots. Former CBS analyst Ken Venturi filled in one year.

Each of the Big Three has earned his place in Masters lore:

• Palmer was the first four-time winner and helped popularize the game in the late 1950s when television coverage expanded.

• Nicklaus is the only six-time winner at Augusta and holds the record for oldest champion at age 46 in 1986.

• Player was the first international champion and holds the record for most starts with 52.

From 1958 through 1966, only one golfer other than Palmer, Nicklaus or Player won the Mast­ers.

“It was a wonderful time,” Player said. “That’s why it’s so nice for the three of us to tee off together at Augusta in April because we’ve grown up together, been together, competed together and raised money together, so it’s going to be nice.”

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Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus tee off in 2011.

MAJOR STARTERS

Gary Player (from left), Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus dominated the sport in their prime. Combined, they won 34 majors, including 13 Masters Tournaments. A look at the accomplishments of all the Masters’ honorary starters.

 

Jock Hutchison 2 majors , 0 Masters wins

Fred McLeod 1 major, 0 Masters wins

Byron Nelson 5 majors,  2 Masters wins (1937, 1942)

Gene Sarazen 7 majors, 1  Masters win (1935)

Ken Venturi 1major,  0 Masters wins

Sam Snead 7 majors,  3  Masters wins (1949, 1952, 1954)

Arnold Palmer 7 majors, 4  Masters wins (1958, 1960, 1962, 1964)

Jack Nicklaus 18 majors, 6  Masters wins (1963, 1965, 1966, 1972, 1975, 1986)

Gary Player 9 majors, 3  Masters wins (1961, 1974, 1978)

Total:  57 majors, 19 Masters wins