The 1st Anniversary of the Passing of 'Lee Elder,' the Jackie Robinson of Golf

Despite Over 100 Death Threats, First Black Player to Compete in the Masters
Rents Two Accommodations Alternately, Accompanied by Two Full-Time Bodyguards

Lee Elder, the first Black golfer to participate in the Masters Tournament, who passed away last year at the age of 87. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Taewon] Jackie Robinson was the first Black player in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States. After joining the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, his story of breaking down the wall of racial discrimination with his entire being is recorded as a precious part of Major League history.

The racial barrier in the U.S. professional golf (PGA) Tour was broken 28 years later. The Masters Tournament, a major event, first allowed a Black player to participate in 1975. At the center was the courage of one Black player. A golfer who overcame racial discrimination in the golf world despite numerous death threats. This is the story of Lee Elder (USA).

On the first anniversary of Lee Elder’s passing on November 28 last year at the age of 87, we take a look at his life.

The Masters Tournament has shown particularly exclusive attitudes toward people of color, even considering that golf was regarded as a sport exclusively for white people in the 20th century. Augusta National Golf Club, where the tournament is held, was a golf course at the forefront of discrimination, only allowing Black members starting in 1990. The founder, Bobby Jones, once stated, “Golf players should be white, and caddies should be Black.”

Lee Elder is one of the PGA Tour legends with a total of 12 wins, including 4 wins on the PGA Tour and 8 wins on the senior Champions Tour. He earned the right to participate in the 1975 Masters Tournament by winning the 1974 Monsanto Open and went on to compete in the Masters six times from 1977 to 1981. Facing over 100 death threats, he booked two accommodations and always traveled with two bodyguards, making it literally a “life-risking” challenge.

Born in 1934 in Dallas, Texas, Lee Elder experienced a difficult childhood, losing both parents before he turned 10. Living with his aunt from age 12, he worked in the pro shop and locker room and began caddying at age 16.

While working as a caddie, he was drafted into the military at age 25, where he encountered a turning point in his life. He was fortunate to be assigned to a unit where the commander, who had a special love for golf, allowed him to play golf.

After being discharged in 1961, he joined the United Golf Association (UGA), which was for Black golfers, rather than the PGA, which at the time only allowed white members, and began his professional golf career in earnest.

From then on, his life as a player was a gamble for survival.

In an interview during his lifetime, Lee Elder described the tense situation when he won the Monsanto Open in April 1974, which led to his participation in the Masters Tournament.

He said, “After holing out, Jack Toothill, the tournament director of the PGA Tour, told me to go by police car.” He explained, “Jack, a former FBI agent, said there had been a string of death threats all morning and that it would be safer to hold the awards ceremony indoors in the clubhouse.”

He added, “It wasn’t the first time a Black player received death threats, nor was it the last,” describing the social atmosphere at the time.

As the Masters Tournament approached, the death threats intensified. Due to over 100 death threats, he always moved with two bodyguards and had to rent two accommodations to alternate between, living in a constant state of imminent danger. In addition to safety concerns, he could not avoid everyday discrimination such as being shouted at by racists and receiving cold treatment in local stores.

Even after participating in the Masters, Lee Elder showed pioneering spirit by making history as the first Black American player selected for the Ryder Cup, the U.S.-Europe golf competition, in 1979.

Modern golf regards him as a “pioneer who eliminated racial discrimination.” His great challenges became the starting point for making golf a sport for everyone.

Later, the Masters Tournament and its host, Augusta National Golf Club, invited Lee Elder as a ceremonial starter in 2020, one year before his death. Although he could not tee off due to health reasons, he stood at the first hole of Augusta National GC alongside legends Jack Nicklaus (USA) and Gary Player (South Africa), receiving a standing ovation from the gallery.

At the time, Lee Elder said, “Today is one of the most moving experiences for me and my family. It is an honor I will cherish for life.”

Upon news of his passing last year, the PGA Tour paid tribute, saying, “He overcame a difficult childhood and racial discrimination to build a successful career in a sport historically unwelcoming to Black players. He endured a long and difficult journey on the Tour.”

Jack Nicklaus also praised him, saying, “Lee Elder was a pioneer and a person respected by many.”