# Gary Player

Gary James Player DMS OIG (born 1 November 1935) is a South African retired professional golfer who is widely considered to be one of the greatest golfers of all time. During his career, Player won nine major championships on the regular tour and nine major championships on the Champions Tour. At the age of 29, Player won the 1965 U.S. Open and became the only non-American to win all four majors in a career, known as the career Grand Slam. At the time, he was the youngest player to do this, though Jack Nicklaus (26) and Tiger Woods (24) subsequently broke this record. Player became only the third golfer in history to win the Career Grand Slam, following Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen, and only Nicklaus and Woods have performed the feat since. He won over 160 professional tournaments on six continents over seven decades and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974.
Nicknamed the Black Knight, Mr. Fitness, and the International Ambassador of Golf, he is also a renowned golf course architect with more than 400 design projects on five continents throughout the world. Player has also authored or co-written 36 books on golf instruction, design, philosophy, motivation and fitness. On 7 January 2021, Player was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by United States President Donald Trump.
The Player Group was established by Marc Player and operates The Player Foundation, which has a primary objective of promoting underprivileged education around the world. In 1983, The Player Foundation established the Blair Atholl Schools in Johannesburg, South Africa, which has educational facilities for more than 500 students from kindergarten through eighth grade. In 2013 it celebrated its 30th anniversary with charity golf events in London, Palm Beach, Shanghai and Cape Town, bringing its total of funds raised to over US$60 million.

## Background and family

Player was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, the youngest of Harry and Muriel Player's three children. When he was eight years old his mother died from cancer. Although his father was often away from home working in the gold mines, he did manage to take a loan in order to buy a set of clubs for Gary to begin playing golf. The Virginia Park golf course in Johannesburg is where Player first gained his love for golf. At the age of 14, Player played his first round of golf and parred the first three holes. At age 16, he announced that he would become number one in the world. At age 17, he became a professional golfer.
Player married wife Vivienne Verwey (sister of professional golfer Bobby Verwey) on 19 January 1957, four years after turning professional. Together they had six children: Jennifer, Marc, Wayne, Michele, Theresa, and Amanda. He also has 22 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. During the early days of his career Player would travel from tournament to tournament with his wife, six children, their nanny and a tutor in tow. Vivienne died of cancer in August 2021.
Player's eldest son, Marc, owns and operates The Player Group, which exclusively represents Player in all his commercial activities, including all endorsements, licensing, merchandising, golf course design, and real estate development.
Player is the brother of Ian Player, a South African environmental educator, activist and conservationist.

## Playing career

Player is one of the most successful golfers in history, tied for fourth in major championship victories with nine. Along with Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus he is often referred to as one of "The Big Three" golfers of his era – from the late 1950s through the late 1970s – when golf boomed in the United States and around the world and was greatly encouraged by expanded television coverage. Along with Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods, he is one of only five players to win golf's "career Grand Slam". He completed the Grand Slam in 1965 at the age of twenty-nine. Player was the second multiple majors winner from South Africa, following Bobby Locke, then was followed by Ernie Els, and Retief Goosen.
Player competed regularly on the U.S. based PGA Tour from the late 1950s. He led the Tour money list in 1961, and went on to accumulate 24 career Tour titles. He also played an exceptionally busy schedule all over the world, and he has been called the world's most traveled athlete. Player has logged more than 26 million km (16 million mi) in air travel – in 2005 it was estimated that he had "probably flown further … than any athlete in history".
Player has more victories than anyone else in the South African Open (13) and the Australian Open (7). He held the record for most victories in the World Match Play Championship, with five wins, from 1973 until 1991 when this feat was equalled by Seve Ballesteros, finally losing his share of the record in 2004, when Ernie Els won the event for the sixth time. Player was in the top ten of Mark McCormack's world golf rankings from their inception in 1968 until 1981; he was ranked second in 1969, 1970 and 1972, each time to Jack Nicklaus.
Player was the only player in the 20th century to win the British Open in three different decades. His first win, as a 23-year-old in 1959 at Muirfield, came after he double-bogeyed the last hole. In 1974, he became one of the few golfers in history to win two major championships in the same season. Player last won the Masters in 1978, when he started seven strokes behind 54-hole leader Hubert Green entering the final round, and won by one shot with birdies at seven of the last 10 holes for a back nine 30 and a final round 64. One week later, Player again came from seven strokes back in the final round to win the Tournament of Champions. In 1984, at the age of 48 Player nearly became the oldest ever major champion, finishing in second place behind Lee Trevino at the PGA Championship. And in gusty winds at the 1998 Masters, he became the oldest golfer ever to make the cut, breaking the 25-year-old record set by Sam Snead. Player credited this feat to his dedication to the concept of diet, health, practice and golf fitness.
Player has occasionally been accused of cheating, particularly in the 1974 Open; he has strongly denied the accusations. Later, at a skins game in Arizona in 1983, Tom Watson accused him of cheating by moving a leaf from behind his ball.
Being South African, Player never played in the Ryder Cup in which American and European golfers compete against each other. Regarding the event, Player remarked, "The things I have seen in the Ryder Cup have disappointed me. You are hearing about hatred and war." He was no longer an eligible player when the Presidents Cup was established to give international players the opportunity to compete in a similar event, but he was non-playing captain of the International Team for the Presidents Cup in 2003, which was held on a course he designed, The Links at Fancourt, in George, South Africa. After 2003 ended in a tie, he was reappointed as captain for the 2005 Presidents Cup, and his team lost to the Americans 15.5 to 18.5. Both Player and Jack Nicklaus were appointed to captain their respective teams again in 2007 in Canada; the United States won.

### Augusta National green jacket

The green jacket is reserved for Augusta National members and golfers who win the Masters Tournament. Jackets are kept on club grounds, and taking them off the premises is forbidden. The exception is for the winner, who can take it home and return it to the club the following year. Player, who became the tournament's first international winner in 1961, said he did not know that. After the victory he packed the jacket and took it to his home in South Africa. That led to a call from club Chairman Clifford Roberts, who was a stickler for rules. "I didn't know you were supposed to leave it there," Player said. "Next thing you know, there was a call from Mr. Roberts."

## Legacy

In 2000, Player was voted "Sportsman of the Century" in South Africa. In 1966, he was awarded the Bob Jones Award, the highest honour given by the United States Golf Association in recognition of distinguished sportsmanship in golf. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974. The "Gary Player – A Global Journey" exhibition was launched by the Hall of Fame as of March 2006.
In 2000, Golf Digest magazine ranked Player as the eighth greatest golfer of all time.
In 2002, Player was voted as the second greatest global golfer of all time by a panel of international media, golf magazines and fellow professionals conducted by the leading Golf Asia Magazine.
On 10 April 2009, he played for the last time in the Masters, where he was playing for his record 52nd time – every year since 1957 except for 1973, when he was recovering from surgery. After Nicklaus and Palmer, he was the last of the Big Three to retire from this tournament, which is a testament to his longevity.
At age 73 on 23 July 2009, Player competed in the Senior British Open Championship at Sunningdale Golf Club, 53 years after capturing his maiden European Tour victory at the Berkshire venue.
Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters announced on 5 July 2011 that Player had been invited to join Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer as an honorary starter. The Big Three were reunited in this capacity starting with the 2012 tournament.
In July 2013, he became the oldest athlete ever to pose nude in ESPN The Magazine's annual Body Issue to inspire people to keep looking after themselves throughout their lives whatever their age.

## Business and other interests

Gary Player's business interests are exclusively represented by Black Knight International, which includes Gary Player Design, Player Real Estate, The Player Foundation, Gary Player Academies, and Black Knight Enterprises, aspects of which include licensing, events, publishing, wine, apparel and memorabilia. The Player Group, which operates The Player Foundation, is owned and managed by Marc Player.

### The Player Foundation

The Player Foundation was established in 1983 by Marc Player and began as an effort to provide education, nutrition, medical care and athletic activities, for a small community of disadvantaged children living on the outskirts of Johannesburg, South Africa. The Player Foundation has since blossomed into an organisation that circles the globe bringing aid to underprivileged children and impoverished communities. Since its establishment, The Player Foundation has donated over $65 million to the support of children's charities, the betterment of impoverished communities and the expansion of educational opportunities throughout the world.
The foundation is primarily funded by donations, grants and the four Gary Player Invitational events presented through Black Knight International and staged in the United States, China, Europe and South Africa annually. The Gary Player Invitational is a pro-am tournament that pairs celebrities and professional golfers from the PGA and Champions Tours with businessmen and other local participants. The proceeds of these tournaments and other special events provide funding for an ever-expanding number of institutions around the world, 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.
Proceeds from the Gary Player Invitational have also been donated to the Lord's Taverners in the UK and the following organisations in South Africa; Wildlands Conservation Trust, Twilight Children and Bana Development Centre.

### Golf course design

The Player Design firm have executed over 400 projects in 41 countries on five continents, including courses such as the Gary Player Country Club, Leopard Creek, Thracian Cliffs, Wentworth and The Links at Fancourt.The company offers three different design brands: Gary Player Design, Player Design, and Black Knight Design.
With golf accepted back into the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Gary Player Design was selected among the finalists of an official RFP in early December 2011.

### Nelson Mandela Invitational

Player hosted the Nelson Mandela Invitational golf tournament staged by Black Knight International from 2000. In October 2007, media attention arose about his involvement in the 2002 design of a golf course in Burma and as a result, the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund withdrew its support. Both Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu accepted Player's position and statements on Burma. Player refused to withdraw as he and his son Marc personally built the golf event from scratch and issued a statement rebutting these claims via his website. The event continued to be staged annually at the Sun City Resort as the Gary Player Invitational until 2019.

## Views
### Views on apartheid

In 1966, Player espoused support for the apartheid policies of Hendrik Verwoerd in his book Grand Slam Golf, stating: "I must say now, and clearly, that I am of the South Africa of Verwoerd and apartheid ... a nation which ... is the product of its instinct and ability to maintain civilised values and standards amongst the alien barbarians. The African may well believe in witchcraft and primitive magic, practise ritual murder and polygamy; his wealth is in cattle". Activists publicly demonstrated against Player's espousal of apartheid, including protesting against Player at the 1969 PGA Championship. Australian activists also strongly protested against Player. In 1971 there were several threats to protest against Player at tournaments though they never came to fruition. Years later, in October 1974, Australian activists screamed at Player, "Go home racist", as he was lining up a putt on the 72nd hole in a tournament he had a chance to win.
However, in a 1987 interview with The Los Angeles Times, Player disavowed the system of apartheid, stating, "We have a terrible system in apartheid ... it's almost a cancerous disease. I'm happy to say it's being eliminated. [...] We've got to get rid of this apartheid." In an interview with Graham Bensinger, Player discussed his early support for apartheid stating that the South African Government had "pulled the wool over our eyes" and that the people were "brainwashed" into supporting these policies.

### Views on golf

In July 2007, Player made statements at the Open Championship golf tournament about the use of performance-enhancing drugs in golf. He alleged that at least ten players were "taking something", citing human growth hormone, steroids and creatine as possible substances. Both the PGA Tour and European Tour were in the process of introducing random testing programmes at the time.
In June 2016, in an interview with bunkered.co.uk, Player branded as "laughable" a report released by the R&A and USGA governing bodies which said that driving distance in golf was only increasing minimally. He warned of a "tsunami coming" due to the governing bodies' failure to address issues surrounding new golf technology. After the 2017 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, Player reiterated these comments, taking to messaging service Twitter to say he was sad to see the Old Course at St Andrews "brought to her knees" after Ross Fisher broke the course record on a day of very low scoring during the final round.

## Distinctions and honours

* On 8 June 1961, Player was the guest on NBC's The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford. In a comedy skit, he gives Tennessee Ernie Ford a golf lesson.
* Received the 1965 BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year Award.
* Received the 1966 Bob Jones Award from the United States Golf Association.
* Named Honorary Member of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews in 1994.
* Received Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from University of St Andrews in 1995.
* Received Honorary Doctor of Science from the University of Ulster, Northern Ireland in 1997
* The WGC-Bridgestone Invitational trophy is named the Gary Player Cup.
* Named Honorary Member of Carnoustie in 1999
* Received Honorary Doctorate in Law, University of Dundee, Scotland in 1999
* South African Sportsman of the Century award in 2000
* Received the 2003 Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award at the Laureus World Sports Awards in Monte Carlo.
* Awarded the Order of Ikhamanga (in gold for exceptional achievement) in 2003 by President Mbeki of South Africa for excellence in golf and contribution to non-racial sport in South Africa.
* He was the world's first golfer to be featured on any country's postal stamp in South Africa.
* Has designed over 400 golf courses on six continents around the world.
* He currently plays on the U.S. Champions Tour and European Seniors Tour occasionally.
* He received the 2006 Payne Stewart Award from the PGA Tour.
* Played in his 52nd Masters Tournament at Augusta National in April 2009, extending his record of for most Masters appearances
* Inducted into the African American Sports Hall of Fame in May 2007, with Lifetime Achievement Award
* Has played in a record 46 consecutive British Open Championships, winning 3 times over 3 decades.
* Stars with Camilo Villegas in a MasterCard "priceless foursome" television commercial launched during the U.S. Open in June 2009
* In November 2009 he was awarded the inaugural Breeders Cup "Sports and Racing Excellence Award" at Santa Anita Park in California which honours owners and breeders of thoroughbred race horses.
* Was inducted into the Asian Pacific Golf Hall of Fame with Jack Nicklaus in 2011 at a ceremony in Pattaya, Thailand.
* In December 2011, Gary Player Design was selected amongst the finalists to design the golf course for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro
* He received the PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award at The Players Championship in May 2012. The first international person to receive this accolade.
* Received the 2020 GCSAA Old Tom Morris Award from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America
* Received the Presidential Medal of Freedom on 7 January 2021 from then President Donald Trump.
* With the death of Jack Burke Jr., Player becomes the oldest living Masters champion.

## Professional wins (159)
### PGA Tour wins (24)

* Legend
* Major championships (9)
* Other PGA Tour (15)
| 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)

* Legend
* Major championships (4)
* Other European Tour (0)
| 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 | 3 and 2 | Peter Thomson |
| 3 | 8 Oct 1966 | Piccadilly World Match Play Championship (2) | 6 and 4 | 6 and 4 | Jack Nicklaus |
| 4 | 12 Oct 1968 | Piccadilly World Match Play Championship (3) | 1 up | 1 up | Bob Charles |
| 5 | 9 Oct 1971 | Piccadilly World Match Play Championship (4) | 5 and 4 | 5 and 4 | Jack Nicklaus |
| 6 | 13 Oct 1973 | Piccadilly World Match Play Championship (5) | 40th hole | 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 |
Sources:

### 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 | 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 | 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 |
Sources:

### 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)

* Legend
* Senior PGA Tour major championships (9)
* Other Senior PGA Tour (13)
| 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)

* Legend
* Senior major championships (1)
* Other European Seniors Tour (2)
| 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 retroactively recognised 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) | Playoff$^1$ | 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 |
$^1$Defeated Nagle in 18-hole playoff; Player 71 (+1), Nagle 74 (+4).

### Results timeline

| Tournament | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 |
| Masters Tournament | | T24 | CUT | T8 |
| U.S. Open | | | 2 | T15 |
| The Open Championship | 4 | T24 | 7 | 1 |
| PGA Championship | | | | |
| Tournament | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 |
| Masters Tournament | T6 | 1 | 2 | T5 | T5 | T2 | T28 | T6 | T7 | T33 |
| U.S. Open | T19 | T9 | T6 | T8 | T23 | 1 | T15 | T12 | T16 | T48 |
| The Open Championship | 7 | WD | CUT | T7 | T8 | WD | T4 | T3 | 1 | T23 |
| PGA Championship | | T29 | 1 | T8 | T13 | T33 | T3 | | | 2 |
| Tournament | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 |
| Masters Tournament | 3 | T6 | T10 | | 1 | T30 | T28 | T19 | 1 | T17 |
| U.S. Open | T44 | T27 | T15 | 12 | T8 | T43 | T23 | T10 | T6 | T2 |
| The Open Championship | CUT | T7 | 6 | T14 | 1 | T32 | T28 | T22 | T34 | T19 |
| PGA Championship | T12 | T4 | 1 | T51 | 7 | T33 | T13 | T31 | T26 | T23 |
| Tournament | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 |
| Masters Tournament | T6 | T15 | T15 | CUT | T21 | T36 | CUT | T35 | CUT | CUT |
| U.S. Open | CUT | T26 | CUT | T20 | T43 | | | | CUT | CUT |
| The Open Championship | CUT | CUT | T42 | CUT | CUT | CUT | T35 | T66 | T60 | CUT |
| PGA Championship | T26 | T49 | CUT | T42 | T2 | CUT | | | | |
| Tournament | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 |
| Masters Tournament | T24 | CUT | CUT | 60 | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT | 46 | CUT |
| U.S. Open | | | | | | | | | | |
| The Open Championship | CUT | T57 | CUT | CUT | CUT | T68 | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT |
| PGA Championship | | | | | | | | | | |
| Tournament | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
| Masters Tournament | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT |
| U.S. Open | | | | | | | | | | |
| The Open Championship | CUT | CUT | | | | | | | | |
| PGA Championship | | | | | | | | | | |
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

| Tournament | Wins | 2nd | 3rd | Top-5 | Top-10 | Top-25 | Events | Cuts made |
| Masters Tournament | 3 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 15 | 22 | 52 | 30 |
| U.S. Open | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 19 | 29 | 25 |
| The Open Championship | 3 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 12 | 17 | 46 | 26 |
| PGA Championship | 2 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 8 | 12 | 23 | 21 |
| Totals | 9 | 6 | 3 | 23 | 44 | 70 | 150 | 102 |
* Most consecutive cuts made – 37 (1970 PGA – 1980 Masters)
* Longest streak of top-10s – 6 (1962 PGA – 1964 Masters)

## Results in The Players Championship

| Tournament | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 |
| The Players Championship | CUT | T21 | T9 | T13 | T28 | CUT | T8 | CUT | CUT | | 61 |
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) | Playoff$^1$ | 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) | Playoff$^2$ | John Bland |
$^1$Defeated Charles in 18-hole playoff; Player (68), Charles (70). $^2$Defeated Bland with a birdie on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff.

### Results timeline

| Tournament | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 |
| Senior PGA Championship | 1 | T8 | 1 | T8 |
| U.S. Senior Open | 2 | 1 | 1 | T9 |
| The Tradition | NYF | NYF | NYF | 2 |
| Senior Players Championship | T14 | 1 | T3 | 3 |
| Tournament | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 |
| Senior PGA Championship | 1 | T8 | 5 | T16 | T19 | T60 | T31 | T20 | T39 | T43 |
| U.S. Senior Open | T3 | T8 | T3 | T17 | T13 | T19 | T60 | T21 | | |
| The Tradition | 2 | T15 | T20 | T17 | T27 | T17 | T9 | T51 | T17 | T50 |
| Senior Players Championship | T18 | T43 | T18 | T33 | T42 | | T49 | T49 | | T29 |
| Tournament | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
| Senior PGA Championship | T46 | T8 | T45 | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT | | |
| The Senior Open Championship | –$^1$ | –$^1$ | –$^1$ | T51 | CUT | T61 | T65 | | CUT | CUT |
| U.S. Senior Open | CUT | 57 | CUT | T54 | CUT | | CUT | | | |
| The Tradition | T34 | T19 | T62 | 75 | T64 | T73 | T76 | | | 67 |
| Senior Players Championship | T57 | T56 | | | T58 | | T74 | | | |
$^1$The 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.
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)