Gary Player opens up about 'terribly sad' treatment from Augusta National

Three-time Masters winner Gary Player has opened up about the 'sad' treatment he has put up with from the famous Augusta National club, claiming it would be 'just another course' were it not for the legacy bestowed on it by golf champions over the years. Player won the Masters at the famous course in 1961, 1974 and 1978, earning him an honorary membership to the club.

However the 87-year-old has expressed frustration at the club he says has made him feel 'unwelcome', claiming his honorary membership doesn't even permit him to enjoy a round with his grandchildren without being accompanied by a full member of the club. With the Masters set to get underway this week with the likes of Cameron Smith and Tiger Woods competing, Player will once again take up his role as an honorary starter alongside Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson.

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However his recent comments have led to some golf observers to call for his honorary position to be stripped. Golf.com reporter Claire Rogers called for his spot to be taken by Augusta National Women's Amateur champion Rose Zhang, while Golf Channel presenter Eamon Lynch said Player was 'making a fool of himself'.

Player's relationship with the Masters has been clouded in recent years. His son Wayne was banned from the Masters in 2021 after trying to showcase a particular brand of golf ball in the background while the tournament celebrated golf icon Lee Majors. Player has also been criticised for donning 'Golf Saudi' branding in previous honorary starter appearances, amid the ongoing 'sports-washing' furore surrounding the nation and its investment in PGA Tour rival LIV Golf.

Memorably ranking the Masters as the lowest of golf's majors last, Player feels his contributions both to the course's legacy and golf itself warrant better treatment from Augusta.

"After all I've contributed to the tournament and been an ambassador for them, I can't go and have a practice round there with my three grandchildren without having to beg a member to play with us, and there's always some excuse," Player told The Times. "It's terribly, terribly sad.

"I've played my role, I've won it three times, I was in the top-10 15 times, I made the most number of cuts in a row ever. Yet here we are struggling to get a round.

"That's why I rate the (British) Open No.1 (of the four majors). If it wasn't for the players, (Augusta) would just be another golf course in Georgia.

"It's just sad – and I put great emphasis on the word sad – that Augusta (doesn't) make you feel welcome in that regard because I helped make this tournament what it is."

Stars downplay LIV Golf, PGA Tour feud ahead of Masters

The 2023 Masters tournament will mark the first time LIV Golf and PGA Tour players compete on the same course since the establishment of the former sparked a bitter rift in the sport. A number of high-profile players, including Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Cameron Smith joined the the breakaway competition after signing lucrative contracts with the Greg Norman-run organisation.

Johnson has declared Masters week 'business as usual' as fellow former champion Fred Couples played down the great divide between the PGA Tour stars and LIV Golf defectors. Fans and officials alike have waited with bated breath to see how the game's biggest names will co-exist at the year's first major and, for Johnson personally, the 2020 champion doesn't expect anything different.

"For me, it's the same. All my buddies are still my buddies, and we play, and it's still golf. So it doesn't matter where you play at," Johnson said after a practice round with PGA Tour player Kevin Kisner.

"So it should be a great week and I'm looking forward to it. I still play golf for a living. I'm here at the Masters and enjoying this week. This week's all about Augusta.

"It has nothing to do with where you play at, but guys that are here, they play all around the world. Not everybody just plays on one spot."

Nor does Johnson believe, as many doubters claim, that the 18-strong LIV contingent will lack a competitive edge this week having only played three, 54-hole no-cut events so far in 2023.

"I usually don't play that many. I probably only played one or two less than normal," the former world No.1 said." I played a long time with all these guys so if I'm playing how I should, I'll be right there at the end."

With AAP

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