By Gary Player
As we are quickly approaching the first Major of the year, it is hard to believe this will be my 56th trip to Augusta in April. After competing in a record 52 Masters, I have spent over a year of my life at the tournament and I am thrilled to keep returning year after year.
Last year was a very special honour to be an honorary starter with my good friends Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. It is a wonderful tradition, and I am overjoyed to reunite “The Big Three” with my dear friends Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer once again on the first tee Thursday morning to kick off the 77th playing of the tournament.
This year there has been a lot of excitement around the game, but also some strong debate around the validity of the belly putter. Now that the first Major is upon us, I think the focus will once again return to the play on the course. 2013 will be an intriguing Masters. When it comes to the tournament, I’ve learned there is no predicting the winner each year, but this year’s Masters field is wide open.
I think it is more likely that you cannot count anyone out. This time last year, I do not think anyone in the golf world would have predicted Ernie Els’ British Open triumph. Going back in Masters history, I won my final green jacket in 1978 at age 42 despite being down seven shots going into the final round, and who can forget Jack’s 1986 Masters? It is certainly hard to predict.
I would venture to say that there are no clear front runners in the tournament this year. There are the obvious favorites of Tiger Woods, Phil Mickleson, and Rory McIlroy, and I also like the chances of Lee Westwood, Adam Scott, and Sergio Garcia. When it comes down to it, I would love nothing more than to see 2012 Champion Bubba Watson slip the green jacket over a South African golfer at the end of the week.
A South African win could definitely be possible. We’ve got a strong contingent competing with 2011 Masters winner Charl Schwartzel, 2008 Masters winner Trevor Immelman, Louis Oostheizen ,Ernie Els, Tim Clark,and first time Masters invitees Brandon Grace and George Coetzee all in contention. That is a great group. It would be wonderful to see any of them win.
Louis Oostheizen has a great chance to come back strong this year. He really played well last year, and I think he knows what it will take to win this year.
I am looking forward to seeing Brandon Grace and George Coetzee playing for the first time and I am sure they will make a splash at Augusta. I plan to play a practice round with the promising young golfers to hopefully provide some useful advice with navigation of the course, but mostly help them enjoy the moment. I still vividly remember my first Masters in 1957 at age 21. It is an experience you never forget.
There is nothing quite like the Masters. The history and significance that it holds in golf is unparalleled. I still make a point every year to be dropped off at the front gate and take a walk down Magnolia Lane just to take in the great atmosphere and rich history.
No matter what happens, I can promise that Augusta always brings the excitement.
Come Masters’ Sunday, I will be watching intently with a wonderful group as our Gary Player Invitational (GPI) kicks off Sunday, April 14. The event in Augusta will be the first leg in our global charity tournament series with events also staged in Europe, China, and South Africa. I must tell you that the Gary Player Invitational tournaments are fantastic gatherings of golfers, businessmen and celebrities from around the world to help raise millions for charities across the globe and have contributed to the continued success of The Player Foundation.
Not only is this my 60th anniversary as a professional golfer, but perhaps more significantly it is also the 30th anniversary of The Player Foundation. The Player Foundation was founded in 1983 by my son, Marc, and has enabled us to reach the impoverished across the world and provide aid, especially to children. Over the last 30 years, we have raised an astounding $50 million and reached children over six continents. It has become a great passion, and I am so thankful that my success in golf has led to this amazing opportunity.
We have some wonderful celebrities lined up to play in our GPI in Augusta that include Hollywood stars Jeffery Donovan, Anthony Anderson, Kevin Sorbo, Ron Masak , as well as famous tech man Dr. Gadget, and former NFL player Ed “Too Tall” Jones. English Golf trick shot artist Jeremy Dale, who I met in England this past year at Golf Live, will treat GPI participants to his spectacular golf stunts. It will be a wonderful event and a great start to our 30th anniversary year that I am looking forward to. Our campaign to significantly contribute to The Player Foundation endowment in 2013 is underway to allow for the continuity of our efforts to aid underprivileged youth.
Golf has truly emerged as the most charitable sport in the world. Not only has it enabled the success of The Player Foundation, but I consider myself very fortunate to be able to help others in need through the sport. Just a couple months ago, many of my Champions Tour friends and I all came together in Palm City, Florida to help out the family of fellow golfer Dana Quigley in the Devo Strong PGA Tour Champions Pro-Am. The support present that weekend was amazing, but this is just one example. Charitable contributions around the world from the PGA TOUR amount to over $1 billion.