Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player lead tributes after Lee Elder, first black golfer to play at the Masters, dies at age 87
- Player calls Elder ‘a titan in the world of golf and great contributor to society’, while Nicklaus labels him a ‘pioneer, in so many ways’
- Elder broke the colour barrier at Augusta National in 1975 paving the way for the likes of Tiger Woods on PGA Tour
Tributes have poured in from around the world for Lee Elder, who has died at the age of 87. In 1975 Elder broke the colour barrier as the first black golfer to play in the Masters.
Elder was honoured at Augusta National in April when he joined Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player on the tee box for the ceremonial first drives of the tournament. Although he couldn’t match the combined nine green jackets of those golf legends — his best finish at the Masters was a tie for 17th in 1979 — Elder garnered the loudest applause. He hoped to hit a shot of his own but instead acknowledged the gallery from his golf cart.
“For me and my family, I think it was one of the most emotional experiences that I have ever witnessed or been involved in,” Elder said following the ceremony, attended by dozens of black club pros from around the country. “It is certainly something that I will cherish for the rest of my life.”
In reacting to the news, Player said Elder was “truly a titan in the world of golf and a great contributor to society”.
Nicklaus said he had been honoured to share the first tee with Elder at Augusta in April, and called it a memory that would “remain special for many years to come”.
