Gary Player at 85

Ahead of three-time Open Champion Gary Player’s 85th birthday on November 1, the great South African answered a few quickfire questions for TheOpen.com.

His answers can be found below, while you can read Player’s thoughts on South Africa's legacy at The Open here.

Favourite Open venue:

"Even though I never won there, St Andrews. The R&A and the home of golf means so, so much to me. When I think of golf I think of The R&A and I think of St Andrews, even though I never won there."

Favourite shot at The Open:

"Without a question, there were five of us within one shot of each other at Carnoustie in 1968. I was playing with (Jack) Nicklaus, and at the Spectacles I hit a 3-wood into the wind one foot from the hole, and went on to win by two.

Toughest Open venue:

"The toughest Open venue is Carnoustie, without a question!"

Toughest hole:

 "That would be difficult for me to just mention that off the cuff. Obviously there’s so many holes. But probably the 16th hole at Carnoustie, the par-3."

Favourite Open win:

"All three! That’s the epitome of success. How can you pick one? Each one’s got a story. My first at Muirfield. I love Muirfield, I love the pomp and ceremony and the way they run their club, I love it. And secondly, you go to Carnoustie, the toughest, and you win there and you beat Nicklaus head to head, and then you come to Lytham & St Annes and I had a six-shot lead with two holes to play. It’s impossible to lose from there and that was a great dream, particularly having my daughter walk every hole with me."

Best round at The Open:

"No, that’s not possible to say that. That’s impossible. If I may say this, I had a lot of good rounds!"

If you had one sentence to describe The Open:

“The Open to me is the most important Championship in the world. It stands alone.“