Masters Tournament: The ten best players in Augusta National history
By Bill Felber
6: Gary Player – 1957-1984, (1961, 1974, 1978), -14.80
Player first came to Augusta as an unknown South African in 1957. But after winning the 1959 British Open, he returned to Augusta in 1960 as a contender, tying for sixth behind Arnold Palmer.
One year later, Player held the 54-hole lead by five strokes but appeared to have blown the title when he turned in a back nine 40 that included a double bogey at the 13th. Palmer’s own double bogey on the final hold reprieved him, and he won by one.
Over the next four years, he finished second twice and never placed outside the top five. He was third in 1970, then in 1974 – at the age of 38 – he took the lead with a birdie on the ninth hole Sunday and held on, defeating Dave Stockton and Tom Weiskopf by two. It was his first major title since the 1968 British Open.
Player won for a third time in 1978, this time with a rally that belied his 42 years. Trailing Hubert Green by six strokes entering the final round, he birdied two of the first four holes, added four more birdied between nine and 13, and tied Green and Rod Funseth with birdies at 15 and 16. At the 18th he drained an 18-foot birdie putt to take the lead, then watched as all his challengers failed to catch him.