The honorary starters for the 2021 Masters Tournament will feature three former players who each made significant impacts on the event. Last November, Augusta National Golf Club chairman Fred Ridley announced Lee Elder will join Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player as honorary starters for this year’s tournament.
Lee Elder became the first African-American player to compete at The Masters when he participated in the 1975 tournament. He had four career tournament wins and his best Masters finished was 17th in 1979. He later secured eight victories on the senior tour.
Jack Nicklaus has the most major victories in the history of the PGA Tour with 18 total, six of which came at The Masters, while Gary Player won three Masters Tournaments in his career with nine total major victories.
The honorary starters tradition at The Masters began in 1963 with former golfers Jock Hutchison and Fred McLeod.