Player set for final hurrah

Just when it looked as though Gary Player might try to play in The Masters until he was 100, tomorrow will be his final round.

Providing, of course, the 73-year-old three-time champion does not survive the halfway cut. Now wouldn’t that be something?

Five years after Arnold Palmer’s 50th and final competitive appearance at Augusta National and four years after Jack Nicklaus’s 45th and last, Player is bowing out after an incredible record 52 times in the tournament.

The South African, the first non-American winner in 1961 and champion again in 1974 and 1978, made his debut in 1957 and missed only the 1973 event.

Now the question is not whether he will be back as an honorary starter, but when?

Palmer was alone in that role again this morning, hitting a ceremonial drive off the first tee before retiring.

But Augusta National chairman Billy Payne said: “I just found out about this being Gary’s last tournament two days ago.

“While we didn’t talk about it last night (at the champions dinner) I’m sure we’ll talk about it over the summer.

“I’m going to continue to talk to Jack Nicklaus about it too, so we’ll have a couple of conversations going on.”