Gary Player facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gary Player
Player in 2008
Personal information
Full name	Gary James Player
Nickname	The Black Knight, Mr. Fitness
Born	(1935-11-01) 1 November 1935 (age 89) Johannesburg, Union of South Africa
Height	5 ft 6 in
Weight	150 lb (68 kg; 11 st)
Nationality	South Africa
Residence	Jupiter Island, Florida, U.S. Plettenberg Bay, South Africa
Spouse	Vivienne Verwey ​ ​ (m. 1957; died 2021)​
Children	6
Career
Turned professional	1953
Former tour(s)	PGA Tour Southern Africa Tour Champions Tour
Professional wins	159
Number of wins by tour
PGA Tour	24
European Tour	4
Sunshine Tour	20
PGA Tour of Australasia	2
Champions Tour	22 (Tied-7th all-time)
European Seniors Tour	3
Other	63 (regular) 6 (senior)
Best results in Major Championships (Wins: 9)
The Masters Tournament	Won: 1961, 1974, 1978
U.S. Open	Won: 1965
The Open Championship	Won: 1959, 1968, 1974
PGA Championship	Won: 1962, 1972
Achievements and awards
World Golf Hall of Fame	1974
PGA Tour money list winner	1961
Southern Africa Tour Order of Merit winner	1976–77, 1979–80
PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award	2012
GCSAA Old Tom Morris Award	2020

Gary James Player (born 1 November 1935) is a famous South African retired professional golfer. Many people think he is one of the best golfers ever. During his career, Player won nine major championships on the regular tour and nine major championships on the senior tour.

When he was 29, Player won the 1965 U.S. Open. This made him the only non-American to win all four major golf tournaments in a career. This amazing achievement is called the career Grand Slam. At that time, he was the youngest player to do this. Only Ben Hogan, Gene Sarazen, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods have also achieved this incredible feat. Gary Player won over 160 professional tournaments across six continents over seven decades. He was welcomed into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974.

People called him "The Black Knight," "Mr. Fitness," and the "International Ambassador of Golf." He is also a well-known golf course architect, having designed over 400 golf courses around the world. Player has also written or helped write 36 books about golf and fitness. On 7 January 2021, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, gave Player the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Gary Player's son, Marc Player, started The Player Group. This group runs The Player Foundation, which helps provide education for children who are not as lucky. In 1983, The Player Foundation opened the Blair Atholl Schools in Johannesburg, South Africa. These schools teach over 500 students from kindergarten to eighth grade. By 2013, the foundation had raised over US$60 million to help children.

Background and Family Life

Player with his wife and her mother, who supported him at golf tournaments, 1961

Gary Player was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. He was the youngest of three children. When he was eight years old, his mother died from cancer. His father worked in the gold mines and was often away. But he took out a loan to buy Gary his first set of golf clubs.

Player fell in love with golf at the Virginia Park golf course in Johannesburg. He played his first round of golf at age 14 and did very well. When he was 16, he said he would become the number one golfer in the world. At 17, he became a professional golfer.

Player married Vivienne Verwey on 19 January 1957. She was the sister of another professional golfer, Bobby Verwey. They had six children: Jennifer, Marc, Wayne, Michele, Theresa, and Amanda. They also had 22 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. When Gary was starting his career, he traveled to tournaments with his wife, six children, their nanny, and a tutor! Vivienne passed away from cancer in August 2021.

Gary's oldest son, Marc, runs The Player Group. This company handles all of Gary Player's business activities. This includes his endorsements, golf course designs, and real estate projects.

Gary Player's brother was Ian Player, a famous environmentalist in South Africa.

Amazing Golf Career

Gary Player is one of the most successful golfers in history. He is tied for fourth place in winning major championships, with nine victories. He is often called one of "The Big Three" golfers of his time, along with Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. These three helped golf become very popular around the world.

Player is one of only five golfers to win the "career Grand Slam." He achieved this in 1965 when he was 29 years old. He was the second golfer from South Africa to win multiple major tournaments, after Bobby Locke. Later, Ernie Els and Retief Goosen also won majors.

Player played regularly on the PGA Tour in the U.S. starting in the late 1950s. He earned the most money on the Tour in 1961. He won 24 PGA Tour titles in his career. He also played in many tournaments all over the world. People called him the most traveled athlete because he flew more than 26 million kilometers!

Player has won the South African Open 13 times, which is more than anyone else. He also won the Australian Open 7 times. He held the record for most wins in the World Match Play Championship, with five victories. He was ranked among the top ten golfers in the world from 1968 to 1981.

Player was the only golfer in the 1900s to win the British Open in three different decades. He won his first British Open in 1959 when he was 23. In 1974, he won two major championships in the same year. Player won his last Masters in 1978. He started seven strokes behind the leader on the final day but won by one shot! He made birdies on seven of the last ten holes. One week later, he won the Tournament of Champions after coming from seven strokes behind again.

In 1984, at age 48, Player almost became the oldest major champion. He finished second at the PGA Championship. In 1998, at the Masters, he became the oldest golfer to make the cut. He said this was because he focused on diet, health, practice, and golf fitness.

Because he was South African, Player never played in the Ryder Cup. This event is where American and European golfers play against each other. However, he was the captain of the International Team for the Presidents Cup in 2003. This event is similar to the Ryder Cup but for international players. The 2003 Presidents Cup was held on a course he designed in South Africa. He was also captain in 2005 and 2007.

The Famous Green Jacket

The green jacket is a special prize for golfers who win the Masters Tournament. Only members of the Augusta National club and Masters winners can wear it. Winners can take the jacket home for a year, but then they must return it to the club.

Gary Player was the first international golfer to win the Masters in 1961. He said he didn't know he was supposed to leave the jacket at the club. So, after his win, he packed it and took it home to South Africa! The club chairman, Clifford Roberts, called him about it. Player said, "I didn't know you were supposed to leave it there."

Player's Legacy

In 2000, Gary Player was named "Sportsman of the Century" in South Africa. In 1966, he received the Bob Jones Award. This is the highest honor given by the United States Golf Association for great sportsmanship in golf. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974. The Hall of Fame also created an exhibition about his life called "Gary Player – A Global Journey."

In 2000, Golf Digest magazine ranked Player as the eighth greatest golfer of all time. In 2002, a group of international media and golf experts voted him the second greatest global golfer ever.

On 10 April 2009, he played in the Masters for the last time. It was his record 52nd time playing in the tournament. He had played every year since 1957, except for 1973 when he had surgery. He was the last of "The Big Three" to retire from this tournament, showing how long he played at a high level.

At age 73, on 23 July 2009, Player played in the Senior British Open Championship. This was 53 years after he won his first European Tour event at the same golf course.

On 5 July 2011, Augusta National Golf Club announced that Player would join Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer as an honorary starter for the Masters. This meant "The Big Three" were together again at the tournament starting in 2012.

Business and Other Interests

Gary Player's business activities are handled by Black Knight International. This company includes Gary Player Design, Player Real Estate, The Player Foundation, Gary Player Academies, and Black Knight Enterprises. These businesses deal with things like licensing, events, publishing, and golf clothing. The Player Group, which runs The Player Foundation, is owned and managed by Marc Player.

The Player Foundation

The Player Foundation started in 1983. It was created by Marc Player to help children who were not as lucky. It aimed to provide education, food, medical care, and sports activities for children in Johannesburg, South Africa. Since then, The Player Foundation has grown and now helps children and communities all over the world. It has given over $65 million to support children's charities, improve poor communities, and expand education worldwide.

The Foundation gets most of its money from donations and special events. Four "Gary Player Invitational" golf events are held each year in the United States, China, Europe, and South Africa. These events bring together celebrities, professional golfers, and business people to play golf and raise money. The money raised helps many places, including the Blair Atholl Schools in South Africa, the Pleasant City Elementary School in Palm Beach, and the Masizame Children's Shelter in Plettenberg Bay, South Africa.

Golf Course Design

Gary Player's design company has created over 400 golf courses in 41 countries across five continents. Some of these famous courses include the Gary Player Country Club, Leopard Creek, Thracian Cliffs, Wentworth, and The Links at Fancourt. The company offers three different design styles: Gary Player Design, Player Design, and Black Knight Design.

When golf was brought back to the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Gary Player Design was one of the final companies chosen to design the Olympic golf course.

Distinctions and Honours

• On 8 June 1961, Player was a guest on The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford on NBC. He gave Tennessee Ernie Ford a golf lesson in a funny skit.
• He received the 1965 BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year Award.
• He received the 1966 Bob Jones Award from the United States Golf Association.
• He was made an Honorary Member of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews in 1994.
• He received an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from University of St Andrews in 1995.
• He received an Honorary Doctor of Science from the University of Ulster, Northern Ireland in 1997.
• The WGC-Bridgestone Invitational trophy is named the Gary Player Cup.
• He was made an Honorary Member of Carnoustie in 1999.
• He received an Honorary Doctorate in Law from the University of Dundee, Scotland in 1999.
• He won the South African Sportsman of the Century award in 2000.
• He received the 2003 Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award at the Laureus World Sports Awards in Monte Carlo.
• In 2003, President Mbeki of South Africa gave him the Order of Ikhamanga (in gold). This was for his excellent golf and for helping non-racial sport in South Africa.
• He was the first golfer in the world to be featured on a postal stamp in South Africa.
• He has designed over 400 golf courses on six continents.
• He still plays occasionally on the U.S. Champions Tour and European Seniors Tour.
• He received the 2006 Payne Stewart Award from the PGA Tour.
• He played in his 52nd Masters Tournament at Augusta National in April 2009, setting a record for most Masters appearances.
• He was inducted into the African American Sports Hall of Fame in May 2007, receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award.
• He has played in a record 46 British Open Championships in a row, winning 3 times over 3 decades.
• He appeared in a MasterCard "priceless foursome" TV commercial with Camilo Villegas in June 2009.
• In November 2009, he received the first Breeders Cup "Sports and Racing Excellence Award" for his work with racehorses.
• He was inducted into the Asian Pacific Golf Hall of Fame with Jack Nicklaus in 2011.
• In December 2011, Gary Player Design was chosen as a finalist to design the golf course for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
• He received the PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award in May 2012. He was the first international person to receive this honor.
• He received the 2020 GCSAA Old Tom Morris Award from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America.
• He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom on 7 January 2021 from then President Donald Trump.
• After the death of Jack Burke Jr., Player became the oldest living Masters champion.

Professional Wins (159)

PGA Tour Wins (24)

No.	Date	Tournament	Winning score	Margin of victory	Runner(s)-up
1	20 Apr 1958	Kentucky Derby Open	−14 (68-68-69-69=274)	3 strokes	Chick Harbert, Ernie Vossler
2	3 Jul 1959	The Open Championship	−4 (75-71-70-68=284)	2 strokes	Fred Bullock, Flory Van Donck
3	29 Jan 1961	Lucky International Open	−12 (70-69-68-65=272)	2 strokes	George Bayer, Don Whitt
4	26 Mar 1961	Sunshine Open Invitational	−15 (69-68-67-69=273)	1 stroke	Arnold Palmer
5	10 Apr 1961	Masters Tournament	−8 (69-68-69-74=280)	1 stroke	Charles Coe, Arnold Palmer
6	22 Jul 1962	PGA Championship	−2 (72-67-69-70=278)	1 stroke	Bob Goalby
7	13 Jan 1963	San Diego Open Invitational	−14 (65-65-70-70=270)	1 stroke	Tony Lema
8	9 Mar 1964	Pensacola Open Invitational	−14 (71-68-66-69=274)	Playoff	Miller Barber, Arnold Palmer
9	31 May 1964	500 Festival Open Invitation	−11 (70-66-70-67=273)	1 stroke	Doug Sanders, Art Wall Jr.
10	21 Jun 1965	U.S. Open	+2 (70-70-71-71=282)	Playoff	Kel Nagle
11	13 Jul 1968	The Open Championship (2)	+1 (74-71-71-73=289)	2 strokes	Bob Charles, Jack Nicklaus
12	20 Apr 1969	Tournament of Champions	−4 (69-74-69-72=284)	2 strokes	Lee Trevino
13	5 Apr 1970	Greater Greensboro Open	−13 (70-63-73-65=271)	2 strokes	Miller Barber
14	21 Mar 1971	Greater Jacksonville Open	−7 (70-70-72-69=281)	Playoff	Hal Underwood
15	28 Mar 1971	National Airlines Open Invitational	−14 (69-67-70-68=274)	2 strokes	Lee Trevino
16	26 Mar 1972	Greater New Orleans Open	−9 (73-69-68-69=279)	1 stroke	Dave Eichelberger, Jack Nicklaus
17	6 Aug 1972	PGA Championship (2)	+1 (71-71-67-72=281)	2 strokes	Tommy Aaron, Jim Jamieson
18	9 Sep 1973	Southern Open	−10 (69-65-67-69=270)	1 stroke	Forrest Fezler
19	14 Apr 1974	Masters Tournament (2)	−10 (71-71-66-70=278)	2 strokes	Dave Stockton, Tom Weiskopf
20	26 May 1974	Danny Thomas Memphis Classic	−15 (65-72-69-67=273)	2 strokes	Lou Graham, Hubert Green
21	13 Jul 1974	The Open Championship (3)	−2 (69-68-75-70=282)	4 strokes	Peter Oosterhuis
22	9 Apr 1978	Masters Tournament (3)	−11 (72-72-69-64=277)	1 stroke	Rod Funseth, Hubert Green, Tom Watson
23	16 Apr 1978	MONY Tournament of Champions (2)	−7 (70-68-76-67=281)	2 strokes	Andy North, Lee Trevino
24	23 Apr 1978	Houston Open	−18 (64-67-70-69=270)	1 stroke	Andy Bean

PGA Tour Playoff Record (3–10)

No.	Year	Tournament	Opponent(s)	Result
1	1958	Dallas Open Invitational	Julius Boros, John McMullin, Sam Snead	Snead won with birdie on first extra hole
2	1959	Memphis Open	Al Balding, Don Whitt	Whitt won with par on second extra hole Balding eliminated by birdie on first hole
3	1961	American Golf Classic	Jay Hebert	Lost to birdie on second extra hole
4	1962	Masters Tournament	Dow Finsterwald, Arnold Palmer	Palmer won 18-hole playoff; Palmer: −4 (68), Player: −1 (71), Finsterwald: +5 (77)
5	1962	Memphis Open Invitational	Lionel Hebert, Gene Littler	Hebert won with birdie on first extra hole
6	1963	Palm Springs Golf Classic	Jack Nicklaus	Lost 18-hole playoff; Nicklaus: −7 (65), Player: +1 (73)
7	1964	Pensacola Open Invitational	Miller Barber, Arnold Palmer	Won 18-hole playoff; Player: −1 (71), Palmer: E (72), Barber: +2 (74)
8	1965	U.S. Open	Kel Nagle	Won 18-hole playoff; Player: +1 (71), Nagle: +4 (74)
9	1967	Oklahoma City Open Invitational	Miller Barber	Lost to birdie on third extra hole
10	1968	Azalea Open Invitational	Steve Reid	Lost to birdie on second extra hole
11	1971	Greater Jacksonville Open	Hal Underwood	Won with par on second extra hole
12	1971	Kemper Open	Dale Douglass, Lee Trevino, Tom Weiskopf	Weiskopf won with birdie on first extra hole
13	1975	MONY Tournament of Champions	Al Geiberger	Lost to birdie on first extra hole

European Tour Wins (4)

No.	Date	Tournament	Winning score	Margin of victory	Runner(s)-up
1	6 Aug 1972	PGA Championship	+1 (71-71-67-72=281)	2 strokes	Tommy Aaron, Jim Jamieson
2	14 Apr 1974	Masters Tournament	−10 (71-71-66-70=278)	2 strokes	Dave Stockton, Tom Weiskopf
3	13 Jul 1974	The Open Championship	−2 (69-68-75-70=282)	4 strokes	Peter Oosterhuis
4	9 Apr 1978	Masters Tournament (2)	−11 (72-72-69-64=277)	1 stroke	Rod Funseth, Hubert Green, Tom Watson

European Tour Playoff Record (0–2)

No.	Year	Tournament	Opponent(s)	Result
1	1974	Dunlop Masters	Bernard Gallacher	Lost to birdie on first extra hole
2	1976	Penfold PGA Championship	Neil Coles, Eamonn Darcy	Coles won with par on third extra hole Player eliminated by par on first hole

Southern Africa Tour Wins (20)

No.	Date	Tournament	Winning score	Margin of victory	Runner(s)-up
1	15 Jan 1972	NCR Western Province Open	−10 (69-69-67-73=278)	4 strokes	Cobie Legrange
2	22 Jan 1972	Dunlop South African Masters	−17 (71-65-65-66=267)	3 strokes	Bobby Cole
3	12 Feb 1972	South African Open	−18 (69-71-66-68=274)	1 stroke	Bobby Cole
4	2 Dec 1972	Dunlop South African Masters (2)	−12 (65-68-68-67=268)	1 stroke	Harold Henning
5	26 Jan 1974	Dunlop South African Masters (3)	−10 (69-66-70-75=270)	Playoff	Bobby Cole
6	9 Feb 1974	General Motors International Classic	−13 (71-70-71-71=283)	5 strokes	Hugh Baiocchi, John Fourie
7	23 Nov 1974	General Motors International Classic (2)	−16 (71-67-72-70=280)	1 stroke	Andries Oosthuizen
8	1 Feb 1975	BP South African Open (2)	−10 (68-67-72-71=278)	6 strokes	Allan Henning
9	13 Dec 1975	General Motors International Classic (3)	−11 (74-70-68-73=285)	3 strokes	John Fourie
10	7 Feb 1976	Dunlop South African Masters (4)	−12 (68-63-67-70=268)	1 stroke	Cobie Legrange
11	6 Nov 1976	Dunlop South African Masters (5)	−10 (67-65-70-68=270)	4 strokes	Hugh Baiocchi, Simon Hobday
12	27 Nov 1976	Yellow Pages South African Open (3)	−8 (70-68-73-69=280)	6 strokes	David Suddards (a), Bobby Verwey
13	12 Nov 1977	Yellow Pages South African Open (4)	−15 (69-71-63-70=273)	3 strokes	Bobby Cole, Dale Hayes
14	19 Nov 1977	ICL International	−12 (67-66-66-69=268)	2 strokes	Bobby Cole
15	23 Nov 1979	Lexington PGA Championship	−7 (71-66-66=203)*	1 stroke	Bobby Cole, Harold Henning, Nick Price, Denis Watson
16	1 Dec 1979	SAB South African Masters (6)	−18 (67-65-70-68=270)	6 strokes	John O'Leary
17	8 Dec 1979	British Airways/Yellow Pages South African Open (5)	−9 (67-75-71-66=279)	1 stroke	Ian Mosey
18	15 Dec 1979	Sun City Classic	−10 (70-71-67-70=278)	4 strokes	Bobby Verwey
19	5 Dec 1981	Datsun South African Open (6)	−16 (67-72-67-66=272)	Playoff	John Bland, Warren Humphreys
20	16 Jan 1982	Lexington PGA Championship (2)	−8 (68-70-66-68=272)	3 strokes	Gordon Brand Jnr, Mark McNulty, Bill Rogers

*Note: The 1979 Lexington PGA Championship was shortened to 54 holes due to rain.

Southern Africa Tour Playoff Record (2–0)

No.	Year	Tournament	Opponent(s)	Result
1	1974	Dunlop South African Masters	Bobby Cole	Won with par on second extra hole
2	1981	Datsun South African Open	John Bland, Warren Humphreys	Won with birdie on third extra hole after 18-hole playoff; Player: −2 (70), Bland: −2 (70), Humphreys: E (72)

PGA Tour of Australia Wins (2)

No.	Date	Tournament	Winning score	Margin of victory	Runner-up
1	3 Nov 1974	Qantas Australian Open	−11 (69-72-63-73=277)	3 strokes	Norman Wood
2	15 Nov 1981	Tooth Gold Coast Classic	−13 (65-71-72-67=275)	4 strokes	Bob Shearer

PGA Tour of Australia Playoff Record (0–1)

No.	Year	Tournament	Opponents	Result
1	1979	Victorian Open	Rodger Davis, Geoff Parslow	Davis won with birdie on second extra hole

Safari Circuit Wins (1)

No.	Date	Tournament	Winning score	Margin of victory	Runner-up
1	9 Mar 1980	Trophée Félix Houphouët-Boigny	−23 (66-66-69-64=265)	Playoff	Peter Townsend

South American Golf Circuit Wins (1)

No.	Date	Tournament	Winning score	Margin of victory	Runner-up
1	9 Nov 1980	Chile Open	−4 (72-67-74-71=284)	1 stroke	Alan Pate

Other European Wins (10)

No.	Date	Tournament	Winning score	Margin of victory	Runner-up
1	4 May 1956	Dunlop Tournament	70-64-64-72-68=338	2 strokes	Arthur Lees
2	16 Oct 1965	Piccadilly World Match Play Championship	3 and 2		Peter Thomson
3	8 Oct 1966	Piccadilly World Match Play Championship (2)	6 and 4		Jack Nicklaus
4	12 Oct 1968	Piccadilly World Match Play Championship (3)	1 up		Bob Charles
5	9 Oct 1971	Piccadilly World Match Play Championship (4)	5 and 4		Jack Nicklaus
6	13 Oct 1973	Piccadilly World Match Play Championship (5)	40th hole		Graham Marsh
7	8 Nov 1974	La Manga International Pro-Am	−42 (67-54-63-60=244)	Playoff	Clive Clark
8	10 Nov 1974	European Ibergolf Trophy	+1 (73-72=145)	Playoff	Peter Townsend
9	12 Oct 1975	Trophée Lancôme	−10 (73-65-69-71=278)	6 strokes	Lanny Wadkins
10	21 Oct 1984	Johnnie Walker Trophy	−16 (68-71-66-67=272)	Playoff	Seve Ballesteros

Japan Wins (2)

No.	Date	Tournament	Winning score	Margin of victory	Runner(s)-up
1	6 Nov 1961	Yomiuri Pro Championship	+1 (75-72-72-70=289)	5 strokes	Chen Ching-Po
2	14 May 1972	Japan Airlines Open	−8 (67-71-72-70=280)	1 stroke	Lu Liang-Huan, Tōru Nakamura, Peter Thomson, Haruo Yasuda

Other South African Wins (39)

• 1955 East Rand Open
• 1956 East Rand Open, South African Open
• 1957 Western Province Open
• 1958 Natal Open
• 1959 East Rand Open, Natal Open, South African Professional Match Play Championship, Transvaal Open
• 1960 Natal Open, South African Masters, Transvaal Open, Western Province Open, South African Open
• 1961 Transvaal Open (Dec.)
• 1962 Transvaal Open
• 1963 Liquid Air Tournament, Richelieu Grand Prix (Cape Town), Richelieu Grand Prix (Johannesburg), Sponsored 5000
• 1964 South African Masters
• 1965 South African Open
• 1966 Natal Open, Transvaal Open, South African Open
• 1967 South African Masters, South African Open
• 1968 Natal Open, Western Province Open, South African Open
• 1969 South African PGA Championship, South African Open
• 1971 General Motors Open, South African Masters, Western Province Open
• 1974 Rand International Open
• 1986 Nissan Skins Game
• 1988 Nissan Skins Game
• 1991 Nissan Skins Game

Other Australasian Wins (17)

No.	Date	Tournament	Winning score	Margin of victory	Runner(s)-up
1	19 Sep 1956	Western Australian Open	69-27-74-74=289	5 strokes	Len Thomas
2	7 Oct 1956	North Coast Open	−4 (69-67=136)	Playoff	Norm Berwick
3	17 Nov 1956	Ampol Tournament	66-73-69-72=280	6 strokes	Bo Wininger
4	13 Oct 1957	North Coast Open (2)	−5 (68-67=135)	1 stroke	Eric Cremin
5	2 Nov 1957	Ampol Tournament (2)	74-70-66-71=281	2 strokes	Dave Thomas
6	21 Nov 1957	Australian PGA Championship	2 up		Peter Thomson
7	30 Aug 1958	Australian Open	68-67-70-66=271	5 strokes	Kel Nagle
8	7 Nov 1959	Victorian Open	−17 (70-69-69-67=275)	5 strokes	Harold Henning
9	14 Nov 1959	Ampol Tournament (3)	73-70-69=212	Shared title with Kel Nagle
10	28 Oct 1961	Wills Classic	−2 (78-68-71-69=286)	3 strokes	Eric Cremin
11	3 Nov 1962	Australian Open (2)	69-70-71-71=281	2 strokes	Kel Nagle
12	2 Nov 1963	Australian Open (3)	−18 (70-70-70-68=278)	7 strokes	Bruce Devlin
13	30 Oct 1965	Australian Open (4)	−28 (62-71-62-69=264)	6 strokes	Frank Phillips, Jack Nicklaus
14	10 Nov 1968	Wills Masters	−15 (69-70-66-72=277)	Playoff	Peter Townsend
15	26 Oct 1969	Australian Open (5)	E (64-69-68-77=288)	1 stroke	Guy Wolstenholme
16	25 Oct 1970	Australian Open (6)	−8 (71-65-70-74=280)	3 strokes	Bruce Devlin
17	1 Nov 1970	Dunlop International	−6 (71-67-73-71=282)	1 stroke	Bill Brask, Kel Nagle, Lee Trevino

Other South American Wins (2)

No.	Date	Tournament	Winning score	Margin of victory	Runner-up
1	24 Nov 1972	Brazil Open	−6 (65-68-68-69=270)	10 strokes	Steve Melnyk
2	1 Dec 1974	Brazil Open (2)	−9 (67-59-70-71=267)	5 strokes	Mark Hayes

Other Wins (11)

• 1955 Egyptian Matchplay
• 1965 World Series of Golf, NTL Challenge Cup (Canada), World Cup of Golf, World Cup of Golf Individual Trophy
• 1968 World Series of Golf
• 1972 World Series of Golf
• 1977 World Cup of Golf Individual Trophy
• 1979 PGA Grand Slam of Golf (shared title with Andy North)
• 1983 Skins Game
• 1986 Fred Meyer Challenge (with Greg Norman - team shared title with Peter Jacobsen and Curtis Strange)

Senior PGA Tour Wins (22)

No.	Date	Tournament	Winning score	Margin of victory	Runner(s)-up
1	23 Nov 1985	Quadel Seniors Classic	−11 (73-64-68=205)	3 strokes	Jim Ferree, Ken Still
2	16 Feb 1986	General Foods PGA Seniors' Championship	−7 (68-68-73-72=281)	2 strokes	Lee Elder
3	18 May 1986	United Hospitals Senior Golf Championship	−4 (66-70-70=206)	1 stroke	Bob Charles, Lee Elder
4	1 Jun 1986	Denver Post Champions of Golf	−8 (70-67-71=208)	Playoff	Roberto De Vicenzo
5	14 Jun 1987	Mazda Senior Tournament Players Championship	−8 (69-73-69-69=280)	1 stroke	Bruce Crampton, Chi-Chi Rodríguez
6	12 Jul 1987	U.S. Senior Open	−14 (69-68-67-66=270)	6 strokes	Doug Sanders
7	13 Sep 1987	PaineWebber World Seniors Invitational	−9 (68-67-72=207)	Playoff	Bob Charles
8	14 Feb 1988	General Foods PGA Seniors' Championship (2)	−4 (69-73-72=70=284)	3 strokes	Chi-Chi Rodríguez
9	28 Feb 1988	Aetna Challenge	−9 (70-70-67=207)	1 stroke	Dave Hill
10	26 Jun 1988	Silver Pages Classic	−13 (69-68-66=203)	Playoff	Harold Henning
11	24 Jul 1988	Volvo Seniors' British Open	−8 (65-66-72-69=272)	1 stroke	Billy Casper
12	8 Aug 1988	U.S. Senior Open (2)	E (74-71-70-73=288)	Playoff	Bob Charles
13	11 Sep 1988	GTE North Classic	−15 (70-65-66=201)	2 strokes	Dave Hill
14	10 Sep 1989	GTE North Classic (2)	−9 (67-68=135)*	1 stroke	Billy Casper, Al Geiberger, Joe Jimenez
15	8 Oct 1989	RJR Championship	−3 (65-71-71=207)	1 stroke	Rives McBee
16	15 Apr 1990	PGA Seniors' Championship (3)	−7 (74-69-65-73=281)	2 strokes	Chi-Chi Rodríguez
17	29 Jul 1990	Volvo Seniors' British Open (2)	E (69-65-71-75=280)	1 stroke	Deane Beman, Brian Waites
18	3 Feb 1991	Royal Caribbean Classic	−13 (67-65-68=200)	2 strokes	Bob Charles, Chi-Chi Rodríguez, Lee Trevino
19	19 Sep 1993	Bank One Senior Classic	−14 (68-68-66=202)	3 strokes	Dale Douglass
20	24 Sep 1995	Bank One Classic (2)	−5 (72-75-64=211)	2 strokes	Jack Kiefer
21	27 Jul 1997	Senior British Open (3)	−10 (68-70-72-68=278)	Playoff	John Bland
22	23 Aug 1998	Northville Long Island Classic	−12 (68-68-68=204)	1 stroke	Walter Hall, J. C. Snead

*Note: The 1989 GTE North Classic was shortened to 36 holes due to rain.

Senior PGA Tour Playoff Record (5–2)

No.	Year	Tournament	Opponent	Result
1	1986	Denver Post Champions of Golf	Roberto De Vicenzo	Won with par on fourth extra hole
2	1987	PaineWebber World Seniors Invitational	Bob Charles	Won with birdie on first extra hole
3	1988	Silver Pages Classic	Harold Henning	Won with birdie on first extra hole
4	1988	U.S. Senior Open	Bob Charles	Won 18-hole playoff; Player: −4 (68), Charles: −2 (70)
5	1990	Bell Atlantic Classic	Dale Douglass	Lost to par on second extra hole
6	1996	FHP Health Care Classic	Walter Morgan	Lost to birdie on first extra hole
7	1997	Senior British Open	John Bland	Won with birdie on second extra hole

European Seniors Tour Wins (3)

No.	Date	Tournament	Winning score	Margin of victory	Runner(s)-up
1	15 Aug 1993	Belfast Telegraph Irish Senior Masters	−5 (68-68-72=208)	2 strokes	José María Roca
2	27 Jul 1997	Senior British Open	−10 (68-70-72-68=278)	Playoff	John Bland
3	3 Aug 1997	Shell Wentworth Senior Masters	−9 (69-68-70=207)	1 stroke	José María Cañizares, David Creamer

European Seniors Tour Playoff Record (1–0)

No.	Year	Tournament	Opponent	Result
1	1997	Senior British Open	John Bland	Won with birdie on second extra hole

Other Senior Wins (6)

• 1987 Northville Invitational (United States), German PGA Team Championship
• 1997 Dai-ichi Seimei Cup (Japan)
• 2000 Senior Skins Game (U.S. – unofficial event)
• 2009 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf – Demaret Division (with Bob Charles)
• 2010 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf – Demaret Division (with Bob Charles)

^*The Senior British Open was recognized by the PGA Tour Champions as a senior major in 2018.

Major Championships

Wins (9)

Year	Championship	54 holes	Winning score	Margin	Runner(s)-up
1959	The Open Championship	4 shot deficit	−4 (75-71-70-68=284)	2 strokes	Fred Bullock, Flory Van Donck
1961	Masters Tournament	4 shot lead	−8 (69-68-69-74=280)	1 stroke	Charles Coe, Arnold Palmer
1962	PGA Championship	2 shot lead	−2 (72-67-69-70=278)	1 stroke	Bob Goalby
1965	U.S. Open	2 shot lead	+2 (70-70-71-71=282)	Playoff1	Kel Nagle
1968	The Open Championship (2)	2 shot deficit	+1 (74-71-71-73=289)	2 strokes	Bob Charles, Jack Nicklaus
1972	PGA Championship (2)	1 shot lead	+1 (71-71-67-72=281)	2 strokes	Tommy Aaron, Jim Jamieson
1974	Masters Tournament (2)	1 shot deficit	−10 (71-71-66-70=278)	2 strokes	Dave Stockton, Tom Weiskopf
1974	The Open Championship (3)	3 shot lead	−2 (69-68-75-70=282)	4 strokes	Peter Oosterhuis
1978	Masters Tournament (3)	7 shot deficit	−11 (72-72-69-64=277)	1 stroke	Rod Funseth, Hubert Green, Tom Watson

¹Defeated Nagle in 18-hole playoff; Player 71 (+1), Nagle 74 (+4).

Results Timeline

     Win      Top 10      Did not play CUT = missed the halfway cut (3rd round cut in 1970, 1980, 1981 and 1985 Open Championships)
WD = withdrew
"T" indicates a tie for a place.

Summary

• Most consecutive cuts made – 37 (1970 PGA – 1980 Masters)
• Longest streak of top-10s – 6 (1962 PGA – 1964 Masters)

Results in The Players Championship

     Top 10      Did not play CUT = missed the halfway cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place

Senior Major Championships

Wins (9)

Year	Championship	Winning Score	Margin	Runner(s)-up
1986	General Foods PGA Seniors' Championship	−7 (68-68-73-72=281)	2 strokes	Lee Elder
1987	U.S. Senior Open	−14 (69-68-67-66=270)	6 strokes	Doug Sanders
1987	Mazda Senior Tournament Players Championship	−8 (69-73-69-69=280)	1 stroke	Bruce Crampton Chi-Chi Rodríguez
1988	General Foods PGA Seniors' Championship (2)	−4 (69-73-72-70=284)	3 strokes	Chi-Chi Rodríguez
1988	Volvo Seniors' British Open	−8 (65-66-72-69=272)	1 stroke	Billy Casper
1988	U.S. Senior Open (2)	E (74-70-71-73=288)	Playoff1	Bob Charles
1990	PGA Seniors' Championship (3)	−7 (74-69-65-73=281)	2 strokes	Chi-Chi Rodríguez
1990	Volvo Seniors' British Open (2)	E (69-65-71-75=280)	1 stroke	Deane Beman, Brian Waites
1997	Senior British Open (3)	−10 (68-70-72-68=278)	Playoff2	John Bland

¹Defeated Charles in 18-hole playoff; Player (68), Charles (70).
²Defeated Bland with a birdie on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff.

Results Timeline

¹The Senior Open Championship was not a Champions Tour major until 2003, though it was on the European Seniors Tour. Player won the event three times prior to this recognition.

     Win      Top 10      Did not play CUT = Missed the half-way cut
NYF = Tournament not yet founded
"T" = tied

Team Appearances

• World Cup (representing South Africa): 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965 (winners, individual winner), 1966, 1967, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1977 (individual winner)
• Slazenger Trophy (representing British Commonwealth and Empire): 1956
• Chrysler Cup (representing the International team): 1986 (captain), 1987 (captain, winners), 1988 (captain), 1989 (captain), 1990 (captain), 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 (winners)
• Dunhill Cup (representing South Africa): 1991
• Alfred Dunhill Challenge (representing Southern Africa): 1995 (non-playing captain, winners)
• UBS Cup (representing the Rest of the World): 2001 (captain), 2002 (captain), 2004 (captain)
• Insperity Invitational – Greats of Golf: 2012 (winners), 2014 (winners), 2015 (winners), 2017 (winners)

Images for kids

• 

  Player at the Fancourt Golf Resort in South Africa, 2008

See Also

• Career Grand Slam champions
• List of golfers with most Champions Tour major championship wins
• List of golfers with most Champions Tour wins
• List of golfers with most PGA Tour wins
• List of longest PGA Tour win streaks
• List of men's major championships winning golfers