Nicklaus, Player, Watson, Starters of the Masters Legends Series [Masters]

'Living Legends' with 11 Masters Titles Combined
Announcers of the Tournament's Opening with 140 Appearances

'Living legends' Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson (both from the United States), and Gary Player (South Africa) will kick off this year's Masters. On the 8th (local time), Augusta National Golf Club, the host of the Masters, announced that the three will perform the opening tee shots for the 89th tournament starting on the 10th.

Jack Nicklaus will participate as the Masters starter again this year. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

Nicklaus, Player, and Watson have combined for 11 Masters victories and have made a total of 140 appearances. In particular, Nicklaus holds the record for the most Masters wins with six titles in 1963, 1965, 1966, 1972, 1975, and 1986. Player won three times (1961, 1974, 1978), and Watson wore the 'Green Jacket' twice (1977, 1981).

The tradition of the Masters opening tee shot began in 1963 with Jock Hutchison and Fred McLeod and has continued as a tournament tradition except for some years. Nicklaus has been performing the opening tee shot since 2010, Player since 2012, and Watson since 2022.