The following story is excerpted from Guts in the Clutch: 77 Legendary Triumphs, Heartbreaks, and Wild Finishes in 12 Sports a new book now available from Amazon.com
Dressed in his customary black, Gary Player trailed by seven strokes when he started the final round of the 1978 Masters. He shot a 69, with a sizzling 30 on the back nine. Player had seven birdies between the ninth and eighteenth holes to finish with a 278, one shot ahead of Rod Funseth, Hubert Green, and Tom Watson who all tied for second-place. At age 42, it was Player’s third and greatest Masters’ victory and the last of his nine major championships.
(Despite blustery winds during the 2008 tournament’s final day, Gary Player’s protege Trevor Immelman kept his game intact, beat Tiger Woods by three strokes, and South Africa had another Masters’ champion.)
Seven strokes down was Gary Player’s lucky number. He was seven down to Tony Lema with 17 holes to play in the semifinal match at the 1965 World Match Play Championships in Wentworth, England and won. (Colorful, humorous, and popular ”Champagne Tony” Lema was a solid performer on the PGA circuit and winner of the British Open in 1964. Lema, age 32, and his wife were killed in a private plane crash in 1966. Ironically, the plane crashed onto a golf course.)
GARY PLAYER was the only golfer in the 20th century to win the British Open in three different decades: 1959, 1968, and 1974. He also had 24 PGA Tour victories and won each of the majors for a career Grand Slam. The only others to do it were Gene Sarazen, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, and Ben Hogan. Like Hogan, Player was fit and practiced with unusual dedication. He had a bunker game that is considered the greatest ever developed and the ability to will himself to victory.
Absent his father’s devotion and persistence, Player may never have gotten to the United States. After Gary won the 1956 South African Open, his father wrote to Cliff Roberts and Bobby Jones, the founders of the Masters, explaining that he did not have the money to send Gary to the U.S. to play. But, he said, “If you would extend him an invitation, I will pass the hat here in Johannesburg and obtain the necessary funds.”
Bobby Jones wrote back a three-word note:
“Pass the hat.”
