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  • Wins
    3
  • Turned Pro
    1953
  • Previous Opens
    46
  • CHAMPION GOLFER OF THE YEAR
    1959
    1968
    1974

Gary Player

Player
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Gary Player practised harder, travelled further and was more meticulous about his diet and fitness than any other golfer of his generation.
Player
  • One of his superstitions or lucky charms is wearing black

    Did you know?

  • 165

    Professional wins

  • His heroes include Mother Teresa and Nelson Mandela

    Fun fact

Gary Player 1959

Player is Champion Golfer in 1959

Gary Player captured his first Claret Jug at Muirfield, announcing himself on the world golfing stage, at just 23 year old.

Gary Player Claret Jug 1968
Mr Player wins his second Open Championship at Carnoustie, 1968

mr player at the open in pictures

Gary Player Claret Jug 1974

Champion Golfer for a third time

Mr Player cemented his place as an Open great, becoming Champion Golfer of the Year for the third time at Royal Lythm & St Annes.

Gary Player practised harder, travelled further and was more meticulous about his diet and fitness than any other golfer of his generation.

He started playing golf aged 14 and turned professional three years later, embarking on a career that required him to spend weeks and weeks of every year away from his home in South Africa. And his undying enthusiasm led him to win over 160 tournaments over six decades and play in 46 Opens and 52 Masters, both records.

He was little regarded on his first appearances in Britain but finished fourth on his Open debut in 1956 and soon his short game, particularly his wonderful bunker play, and his tenacity – he had read Norman Vincent Peale’s The Power of Positive Thinking – demonstrated that he was indeed a Champion.

Player

He won the first of three Claret Jugs in 1959 at Muirfield, rallying from eight behind going into the last two rounds on the final day. A closing 68 included a double bogey at the last with which he thought his chance had gone but he won by two strokes.

In 1968 at Carnoustie he hit a superb 3-wood into the wind to two feet for an eagle at the 14th to claim a second victory and at Royal Lytham & St Annes in 1974 he won by three strokes from Peter Oosterhuis. He won three Masters, doing the Masters-Open double in 1974, two PGA Championships and became only the third player to achieve a career Grand Slam by winning the 1965 U.S Open.

Only Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Walter Hagen have won more than his nine major titles. He has set up schools in South Africa and, thanks to a love of horses, ran an acclaimed stud farm. He is reputed to have travelled more than 15 million miles in his career.

Venue
Finish
R1
R2
R3
R4
Total
Par
Royal Lytham & St Annes 2001
M/C
77
82
-
-
-
M/C
St Andrews 2000
M/C
77
79
-
-
-
M/C
Carnoustie 1999
M/C
81
83
-
-
-
M/C
Royal Birkdale 1998
M/C
77
74
-
-
-
M/C
Royal Troon 1997
M/C
78
71
-
-
-
M/C
Royal Lytham & St Annes 1996
M/C
71
76
-
-
-
M/C
St Andrews 1995
68
71
73
77
74
295
-
Turnberry 1994
M/C
72
73
-
-
-
M/C
Royal St George's 1993
M/C
73
71
-
-
-
M/C
Muirfield 1992
M/C
71
75
-
-
-
M/C
Royal Birkdale 1991
57
75
71
69
71
286
-
St Andrews 1990
M/C
72
73
-
-
-
M/C
Royal Troon 1989
M/C
79
73
-
-
-
M/C
Royal Lytham & St Annes 1988
60
72
76
73
76
297
-
Muirfield 1987
66
72
74
79
75
300
-
Turnberry 1986
35
75
72
73
76
296
-
Royal St George's 1985
WD
72
77
73
-
-
-
St Andrews 1984
M/C
74
75
-
-
-
M/C
Royal Birkdale 1983
M/C
76
71
-
-
-
M/C
Royal Troon 1982
42
75
74
76
75
300
-
Royal St George's 1981
WD
81
68
75
-
-
-
Muirfield 1980
WD
77
71
72
-
-
-
Royal Lytham & St Annes 1979
19
77
74
69
75
295
-
St Andrews 1978
34
74
71
76
71
292
-
Turnberry 1977
22
71
74
74
69
288
-
Royal Birkdale 1976
28
72
72
79
71
294
-
Carnoustie 1975
32
75
71
73
73
292
-
Royal Lytham & St Annes 1974
1
69
68
75
70
282
-
Royal Troon 1973
14
76
69
76
69
290
-
Muirfield 1972
6
71
71
76
67
285
-
Royal Birkdale 1971
7
71
70
71
72
284
-
St Andrews 1970
WD
74
75
75
-
-
-
Royal Lytham & St Annes 1969
23
74
68
76
74
292
-
Carnoustie 1968
1
74
71
71
73
289
-
Royal Liverpool 1967
3
72
71
67
74
284
-
Muirfield 1966
4
72
74
71
69
286
-
Royal Birkdale 1965
Wd
76
71
79
-
-
-
St Andrews 1964
8
78
71
73
70
292
-
Royal Lytham & St Annes 1963
7
75
70
72
70
287
-
Royal Troon 1962
M/C
74
79
-
-
-
M/C
Royal Birkdale 1961
Wd
73
77
-
-
-
M/C
St Andrews 1960
7
72
71
72
69
284
-
Muirfield 1959
1
75
71
70
68
284
-
Royal Lytham & St Annes 1958
7
68
74
70
71
283
-
St Andrews 1957
24
71
74
75
73
293
-
Royal Liverpool 1956
4
71
76
73
71
291
-

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