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MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 5, 2011

Gary Player

AUGUSTA, GEORGIA

BILLY MORRIS: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. We are thrilled to have with us today one of our Tournament's great champions, Mr. Gary Player. This year we celebrate the 50th anniversary of his first three victories. In 1961 Gary became our first international champion defeating Charles Coe and Arnold Palmer by a single shot on a rainy Sunday afternoon that forced a Monday finish.
I know you have many great memories here, but tell us how that win still feels to you, now, 50 years later.
GARY PLAYER: Thank you very much. Thank you very much for the opportunity. Obviously I think when you win 50 years ago, it's a reminder that you are getting a little old, but I don't feel it.
But the memories obviously are still lasting, everlasting; to be the first international player of this great event in this great country meant an awful lot to me, particularly being a young man and having aspirations of trying to win a Grand Slam. That was my dream. I had already won the British Open; the youngest man at that time to win it. And then to come along and win this event, such a thrill to be playing, Arnold and I were battling it out, 20,000 or 30,000 people on the golf course and only my wife and dog pulling for me and understandably so.
Having had a pretty tough upbringing, that didn't perturb me and it made me very determined to win, and went on to win my first event.
Obviously when you are finished and you sit down and you think about this tournament, you say to yourself, well, you're the first international player to win. Let's hope that this will continue in this vein and that we'll have other players who now believe that they can come along and do it.
And so that's happily happened. I had to write it down because there are so many of them: Ballesteros, Cabrera, OlazÃ¡bal, Faldo, Langer, Woosnam, Lyle, Immelman all came along and went after me, and it's wonderful to know that you gave people the confidence to come along and do it.
Strangely enough, no Australian has ever won the Masters, and with all of the good players that they have, and who have really excelled around the world, I mean, the Australians have done very well; not to have won this tournament -- although Greg Norman had a great chance, it's surprising that they never have.
Also, to have had your dream fulfilled on a beautiful place like this, that it's the best-run golf tournament on the planet, of course there's a great advantage of having a tournament at the same place every year makes it a lot easier.
Also, for your family to be a part of it, you have got your grandchildren caddying for you and your grandchildren arrive at this tournament, and we have 21 grandchildren, and they arrive here and you are just a grandpa to them and all of a sudden they have got this little bag on their shoulder which they have never had in their lives before, and people are cheering for you and asking for autographs and things like that. And they actually don't know really what's going on. It's a very strange thing for them to be able to see that many but gradually they all realize and they look forward to coming to caddie here, and this is a great thing for your family.
I have obviously had marvelous times with Arnold and Jack. We were I think pretty fierce competitors and wanted to beat each other and wanted to win, but at the same time, we had great respect for each other. We appreciated what we were trying to do, not just out there trying to make money. We were out there trying to promote the game of golf. We travelled to all corners of the globe not getting the millions of dollars and having your own jet and the conditions that they have today.
So it's very comforting and I'm sure Arnold and Jack, if they were sitting here today, would have the same feeling that I have; that we tried to promote golf throughout the world. I was fortunate enough to have dinner with President Eisenhower one night and I remember verbatim what he said. He said, "America is a global society." And he enlarged on that, which I won't mention, and that's when I first thought, that's what I have to try and do is be a global player.
I didn't need reminding of that, because my father who was a poor man, he said if you want to be a champion, you have to be able to win in respective countries, not just your own. This is what the great players of the past have done. So the pasters has made -- and you people in this room can understand. You look at your press facilities, how magnificent they are, you look at the way the tournament is run with great discipline. You look at the beauty, the entire world's golf leaders are all meeting under this oak tree as we stand here today, and this accumulation of all of the golf players of the world; I mean, from Japan, to see a young man like Ishikawa who could win this tournament one day, which would be a fantastic thing for Japan, even more so with the tragedies they have experienced. It would be a big shot in the arm if he could do and I'm sure he'll be playing with that in mind with him and a very charismatic young man. I was so impressed.
Golf has been a great catalyst for raising money for underprivileged charity and different charities, but to see this young man, if what I read is true, every bit of money will be donated to the provinces in their country, it was great of the young man to come out with such a wonderful gesture.

Q. Phil and Tiger both said that driving through Magnolia Lane re-energized their golf game. Did you experience a similar feeling coming here; that it was your place and you always played better here?
GARY PLAYER: Without question. You know, you can never give reasons why. You can assume, but every time I got here -- invariably I got here and I said to the car -- stop, and I would walk. And I've even done it of late. And even though I'm not participating, I still said to the lady who drove me in today, wow, that feeling never leaves you.
History can actually be created, if that's possible, and even though this is not as old as, say, The Open Championship in Britain, they have created a lot of history here, which has just accumulated. And getting out of that car and walking there and seeing where we used to practice, as you're driving on the left-hand side, and then we moved to the right-hand side. And now you've got, as Billy Payne said, the most expensive practice tee that has ever been put. So we have seen a lot of changes.
The best player I ever saw is still Ben Hogan. I've never seen anybody that could hit the ball like he could. And I drove up today and I could see him hitting balls. He was a man of very few words and I just sat there and watched him in awe. In those days the caddies went out there. We used to practice and there would be 50 caddies out there. Nowadays people would be killed on the practice tees and they didn't have helmets on, either. (Laughter).
So, yes, that's well put.

Q. Pick your best moment from here, the very best?
GARY PLAYER: The best moment, obviously you have this desire to win the Grand Slam so you have to put it in perspective, you say, yes, I want it, and now I have two legs in the Grand Slam.
The thing that really -- one of the things that I have in my life is gratitude, and I think when you struggle as a young person, and you have adversity, it teaches you to be grateful and not have a sense of entitlement, which irritates me with a lot of young people, they have this great sense of entitlement.
I go back to 1978, and Mark McCormack, the head of IMG, and really set the stage of the managers of the present; he was the best manager that had ever existed in sports at that time. And the last day he said, well, I've got to leave, none of my players are in contention -- 1978, and I'm seven behind Watson and all of these players. And he leaves. And he turns on the television back home in Cleveland and he sees I've come back in 30 and won. You know, he had to present me with the check; these days he would have hired a jet and be back there.
If you look at the film, three putts actually touched the hole by that much so you're talking about a total of less than half an inch for three putts. If those three putts had gone in, I have shot 27. Thank God they didn't go in because I wouldn't be invited back shooting 27 at Augusta.
That's hard to debate, the first time, or that coming back in 30 and winning.

Q. Do you think they would have Player-proofed the golf course had you shot 27 on that nine?
GARY PLAYER: Well, that's a good question. (Laughter) you'd better ask Billy Payne that.

Q. Talk about the first time you walked in and you went to your first Champions Dinner and what that's going to go like this time?
GARY PLAYER: That's a very good question because we didn't have a Champion's room in those days. We ate in the bottom locker room.
But in the room sat there so many wonderful players: Ben Hogan, Sam Snead, Byron Nelson. And can we honestly say throughout history, there have ever been, including today, three better golfers in history. If you compared apples with apples and you put those three players against Arnold, Jack and myself, and whoever the top three are -- I don't know who the top three are because it fluctuates a lot and doesn't stick out like it did in our era, but it would be interesting to see who would win. But I tell you, those guys could seriously play.
So you come into this locker room, over-awed, I'm a young man having just won this tournament and you're in your place saying very little and you see all of these champions. And I said to a man yesterday, he was talking about -- just about today, he was a young writer for this magazine, golf magazine. And I said if you want to see something interesting, go in the clubhouse, somewhere in the clubhouse here, I'm not exactly sure where -- and I never forget to stop and look at this picture. This is about 1947, Ben Hogan, Sam Snead, Byron Nelson, Gene Sarazen; this man, Jackie Burke, Jackie Burke's father, you look at all of the wonderful players that took place. We are inclined to forget. We all think about today.
And then you saw our era come along and then you saw this era came along and you'll see new era come along, and I've said this on British television on BBC about eight years ago: It's just a matter of time before players hit the ball 400 yards. And this good player and a good announcer said to me, absolute nonsense.
They are hitting the ball 400 yards now, never mind 30 years' time.
And so what we are going to see, we have not scratched the surface of golf yet. We are in our infancy. Unless we slow the ball down, you cannot put the tees back in the streets anymore, gentlemen and ladies. They have got to their limit now so the next thing is you have to slow the ball down because the golf courses are going to be completely outdated which is happening now. Golf is suffering terribly. You see golf courses just weeds now closing down. You can buy golf courses for a dollar now because it's the maintenance of the golf course. Because they have seen what is happening: These pros hitting a driver and 6-iron to a par 5 so from Timbuktu to Tokyo to China to here, everyone is lengthening golf courses. And the members hate it; and greens are undulating and the members hate it; and the fees are going up and oil is getting more expensive and we are running out of water (laughter) and so the whole damn game, people are saying let me out of here. They can't afford it. Instead of staying where we were and just slow the ball down. Not for the amateur. We must have technology for the amateur golfer who is the heart of the game.
The pro is a mere tiny part of the game. And this is going to happen; I can promise you, it is going to happen in time because hundreds of millions of dollars are being wasted on unnecessary programs.

Q. If I can ask you about another anniversary, Jack's win 25 years ago, I don't believe you made the cut that year. I assume you saw it. Curious about your reminisces of that moment and what you were thinking watching your old rival do this at that age.
GARY PLAYER: You know, he came out with that big-faced putter, and I won the Masters at 42 and I thought, well, nobody is going to beat that. He comes out at 46 and wins the Tournament, which was so remarkable and touching, because what greater dream could you have than to win with your son caddying at 46? And being such a good friend of mine -- I have always enjoyed the success of others, because when you have success, you want them to enjoy your success.
And fortunately I can honestly look you in the eye and say I've never been jealous of people. There's a lot of jealousy in sports, and in life. But I've never been jealous of any player in my life because I had two hands that work and I was a workaholic and I achieved everything I wanted to; and so how could I be jealous? I was thrilled, and it was touching and it was encouraging for people to know that they are not getting old because they are 46, which we were brainwashed.
I'm 75 now and I could beat 80 percent of young boys off the street in a fitness contest today.

Q. You were at home watching?
GARY PLAYER: See I don't remember not making the cuts, I made the most cuts in a row, 22.

Q. You talked about the tree just now.
GARY PLAYER: The tree. What tree did I mention?

Q. When you were reminiscing.
BILLY MORRIS: The oak tree.

Q. What was it like when you first arrived? How many times do you think you've been stopped to talk underneath it in the years you've been coming? Do you have any tree memories?
GARY PLAYER: That's probably the most famous golf tree in the world. I don't think there's ever been any tree where so many world-famous writers, contributors to the game, people who have been on committees, golfers themselves, blind people, one-leg, one-arm, all loving golf, have met. And the number of times I've been under that tree, is hundreds probably.
You know, I was there yesterday, and I see people I know. And then I get going and I've got an appointment and then I see two other people and then I see people from every part of the world. It's the most remarkable piece of real estate golf-wise that I've ever seen. There should be a plaque. That's what Augusta should be thinking of; tell Billy Payne, the members, they should put a plaque, most famous tree in the world golf-wise.

Q. How interested are you in joining Jack and Arnie in the ceremonial tee shot?
GARY PLAYER: Well when I'm asked to do that, I'll be very pleased to do that. If I'm ever asked; if I'm ever asked, I'll be very pleased to do that.

Q. You are remembered as a player with impeccable manners. Does it disappoint you to see modern-day golfers refusing to sign autographs, spitting on the green, throwing clubs and using the f-word?
GARY PLAYER: You know, I'm not here to be -- I think if I may say this at 75 years of age, and I'm not referring to you, sir.
I find that we are all inclined, as your jobs, you've got to do this, you've got to seek these things out because you have to satisfy an editor and you have to do your story and that's your business.
But in my case, it's not. Now, inside of my family or personal friends, I can say certain things, but it's not for me to be judgemental on individual players. I prefer not to answer on that.
I do believe as Winston Churchill, my all-time hero said, "Manners make the man." And I think that this is such a wonderful game, and we have an obligation to this game to have great manners, and I must say, that is the joy of playing with Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus in my life. This is something we spoke about and we had a responsibility, not only to ourselves, but the entire world. We try to adhere to that.
So, I mean, that's for you to decide.

Q. Off-topic but the U.S. Open returns to Congressional this year as you know. In 1964 Ken Venturi won there.
GARY PLAYER: Under trying conditions. I think I played in front of him or something.

Q. Curious if you could sort of recall, realizing it was a long time ago, what that was like and how unique an accomplishment it was for him to win in those conditions?
GARY PLAYER: Well, he won almost in a reverie, almost in a trance.
It was probably self-hypnosis, which I'm a great believer in; that enabled him to win. It was remarkable, because I mean, it was really hot. Probably at my peak as far as fitness and I felt it. And to watch him sort of slumping around and taking whatever he was taking all the time, water, salt or whatever he was doing, honey, I don't know. And I thought, is this guy going to finish? And ends up with a victory, absolutely remarkable. Really amazing.

Q. Do you recall were you under physical duress that day?
GARY PLAYER: No, no, I love the heat, but I found it very hot. (Laughter).
If you ask me that today, yes, I'd be pooped. Although I'm not so sure. Okay.

Q. Playing the 12th hole, over the years, you hear so much almost folklore or legend about how guys go about reading the wind, the swirl, looking at the flag on 11 and they will look at the trees behind the green, the water. Hogan would not hit until he felt the wind on the side of his face, all of these things. What is your local knowledge there? What did you glean over the years? How do you play that hole with the wind?
GARY PLAYER: I was talking about that. I played with the Royal Bank of Canada customers this morning over at Champions Retreat and they asked me that exact question. I said, if you took that hole and put it in California, it would be a piece of cake, one of the easiest holes you'll play. And here, it's one of the toughest golf holes in the world.
If you look at Augusta's elevation, from the extreme top to the bottom, that is the entire bottom, and you are in a corner there so the wind has to fall down and swirl.
And I was explaining and they couldn't quite grasp it. I said, you stand on the tee, and you swallow. Because the wind is right behind you, on No. 11, so you automatically look there and now it's into you with your flag. And you say, is this a mirage, how is this possible.
And all of a sudden, and my first experience I had here at Augusta, Ben Hogan and Sam Snead playing together, Snead gets up and hits a 7-iron in the back trap -- no, Hogan, back trap. Snead looks in his bag, he always looked in your bag; Hogan never looked in your bag. And he gets up and he hits an 8-iron in the water.
So that was a terrible way for me to have my first -- they are the two greatest strikers of the golf ball that ever lived, or as good; one in the water and one over the green. I said, man, there must be something to this hole and of course over the years, you realize that.
So what I did, I said to myself, which Bobby Jones actually put my thinking on this. I said at dinner one night, I used to cut his meat, the poor man had hands exactly like that, and I would cut his meat for him and put his knife and fork in his hand.
I said, "Mr. Jones, I just want to ask you something. When I play the third hole, I cannot get a birdie, the flag is in the left-hand corner and I cannot birdie."
He said, "Gary, you are not supposed to birdie it. It's a par hole." (Speaking in deep voice). And that I took with me to No. 12. I said if I can do it at No. 3, I'll take it to No. 12 with me. And when I got in there, I said don't think about a birdie, there's your flag, play a half club longer, play for the back fringe and be satisfied. Because you can always get it down in two.
But nobody's underwater stroke is worth a damn. And actually the most phenomenal shot of my life, although it was 100% luck, took place on that hole. I was playing with Bob Murphy, put the ball in the back trap, right at the back, top of the lip. They have got a film of this. And the ball was stuck under the lip and I looked at it, and I went to address the ball, couldn't see the ball. It was under the lip.
So, Harvey Renault (phonetic) was his name, I said where should I drop this. I didn't like the options so I said what I'll do is hop like this, hit the ball into the trap and try to get it up-and-down. And I hit it and came out a little slicker than I thought, and it bounced out of the trap, was going in the water and hit the flag and went in. So the 12th hole is a nightmare.

Q. Can you remember what year that was?
GARY PLAYER: I think it was 1965.

Q. Much has been made of '61 when Arnold made the double bogey on 18, but I don't know if you got it enough credit for holding it together down the stretch. Can you talk about the back nine?
GARY PLAYER: Sports Illustrated were fantastic that year, because everybody was saying Arnold blew it, and there's a sequel to this, as well. Sports Illustrated said, "Gary Player won the Tournament."
You see we all have double-bogeys at different times and bogeys and birdies, and there's no rule about what hole you do it on. You see a guy, he said, well he holed a long putt on the last hole to win the tournament and how lucky he was but he missed a 2-footer at 17 and they don't write about that.
13, being shy, I pushed my ball in the trees, but I have a perfect shot to go to 14. I can knock it up there and have a sand wedge to the green and possibly birdie the hole but there's so many people, and they are not moving.
Now Nicklaus would have sat on his bag and waited until they moved and I thought, well, I can't do that so I tried to chip the ball back on to the fairway, but the fairway sloped like this, and we didn't have a fairway like we do today with this quality grass. Fairways on 13 and No. 2 were terrible. I chipped it into the creek and got 7. Came to 15 and made 6 and I got it up-and-down, and you're quite right how I held it together the last three holes to win.
So a lot was written about that but very little was written about 1962 when I had the opportunity to be the first man to ever win this tournament twice in a row. We are playing 16, I got Arnold Palmer by two shots, I put it in there 12-foot from the hole. Arnold missed the green to the right on the fringe. The flag is the back left corner, in a thousand balls could you not get up-and-down in two.
He hit it down there and he made, man, that's game; and hit the flag and went in the hole and I missed.
The next hole he hooked it into Eisenhower Tree. I knocked it way by. I remember this distinctly, he put a 5-iron -- I remember this distinctly, a 5-iron, he put it about X amount of feet from about 28 foot and nailed that.
We tied 18, went into a playoff, had him by three and he came back in 31, a magnificent nine holes to beat me.
So what happens now against you happens in favor of you another year. So that's what golf is all about. That's what makes golf such a fascinating game.

Q. Today a lot of players seem to be emphasizing the short game here. You hear so much about power at Augusta, it seems like it is a revisionist thinking; is the short game that's the key?
GARY PLAYER: Let's go to the best striker of the ball that ever lived, Ben Hogan. He would be think to go himself, I'm trying to put myself in his position, I'm going to hit every green because it's important to hit every green and get your pars and birdies. He would be thinking about how he's going to position it on this side of the green. That's how good he was, so it's a strategy, and he would be thinking about where he was going to put the ball.
There's no question about it that he was so good that he could putt nicely and win the tournament. But today, and in my time, and throughout history -- and if ever there's been an example of it, it's Tiger Woods. Tiger Woods has not been a good driver of the ball with the driver. We all know that's a fact. If he wanted to hit the fairway, he would take out his 3-wood and punch it up the middle.
But with a driver in his hand, he and Mickelson have missed a lot of fairways. So what has made Tiger Woods that phenomenal golfer is his great attitude of playing, and the putter. I always called it "the power of the putter." Whoever wins the Tournament the man who wins is the man who putts well.
And the other thing I thought this morning that I've never thought, I thought to myself, you have to putt on every hole. There's no other shot in golf that you have to play every hole, that you have to putt. So that obviously proves to you that the putter is the most important thing. Is that a good way of answering.

Q. Just wanted to ask you about 18, the final hole in 1961. You were in the same bunker as Arnold?
GARY PLAYER: I was in the same bunker, and I had a nice lie and I opened the face. And I could remember it like yesterday. I sat in -- I don't know whether it's Bobby Jones tavern those days or the TV, and Arnold was slightly buried and opened the clubface, and I said to my wife, "He's in trouble." You cannot play a buried lie with an open clubface. You have got to play a buried lie with a clubface closed. And I said to my wife, "He's in trouble particularly on that green." And laid it in over the green.
BILLY MORRIS: What a wonderful privilege it is to have you back here. Thank you for spending some time with us today and we look forward to having you back here many, many more times.

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