“Who cares what he thinks or says” - Fans react to Gary Player’s disapproval of Augusta National Women’s Amateur
On Thursday, November 9, Gary Player reignited the back-and-forth he has been having with the Augusta National Golf Club for years. This time the controversy was a little more tense because it involved the female sector of the golfing world.
During the start of the Nedbank Golf Challenge, a DP World Tour event held at the Gary Player Country Club in South Africa, the player was captured arguing that he "disagrees" with the relevance of the Augusta National Women's Amateur.
The video quickly went viral, with more than 500,000 views on X's (ex-Twitter) @wingazz account and dozens more on other profiles. Fans were quick to react, mostly criticizing Gary Player for these opinions.
Here are some of the reactions on X:
"Who cares what he thinks or says. He don't count in my world. Period."
"He still be mad that he can’t get tee times for his family and friends."
In the video that was released, Gary Player can be heard expressing his approval of Annika Sorenstam receiving an invitation to become a member of the Augusta National Golf Club. These were his words, according to Golfweek:
“To see Annika Sorenstam made a member of Augusta, they never allowed women, and now to see a woman be a member, I think it’s fantastic. She’s the best lady golfer in the world, or was, wonderful to see, isn’t it?”
Later, the Augusta National Women's Amateur was mentioned as another effort by the institution in favor of women. Gary Player commented:
“I don’t agree with you on that.”
Annika Sorenstam is not the first woman to receive a membership at Augusta National Golf Club. President George W. Bush's former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, businesswoman Darla Moore, and other women have also received membership.
Gary Player and the Augusta National Golf Club
Gary Player's athletic accomplishments are undeniable. He is not only the most important South African player in history but also one of the world's greatest players ever. Among his most important achievements is winning the Augusta Masters three times.
His status as a Masters Tournament winner grants him honorary membership in the Augusta National Golf Club. However, honorary membership is not the same as official membership, which Player does not hold.
This has led the South African star to feel "mistreated" by the club because he cannot play freely on the course that made him so famous. Club rules state that in order to play the course, a full member must participate in the round.
In April 2023, Gary Player described his feelings to The Times. This was part of what he said:
“After all I’ve contributed to the tournament and been an ambassador for them, I can’t go and have a practice round there with my three grandchildren without having to beg a member to play with us. And there’s always some excuse. It’s terribly, terribly sad."
He continued:
“I’ve played my role. I’ve won it three times. I was in the top 10 15 times. I made the most cuts in a row ever (23), yet here we are struggling to get a round. If it wasn’t for the players, [Augusta National] would be just another golf course in Georgia."
He added:
“It’s just sad. And I put great emphasis on the word 'sad'—that Augusta [doesn’t] make you feel welcome in that regard because I helped make this tournament what it is."
Gary Player was the first non-American to win the Augusta Masters (1961). In his illustrious career, he has 159 professional victories, including 24 on the PGA Tour (9 Majors).