Gary Player kicked his leg after his tee shot down the middle. Jack Nicklaus joked about the challenge in bending over to put his tee in the ground. Tom Watson outdrove them both with a swing that has held up over time.
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AUGUSTA,Ga.(AP)—GaryPlayerkickedhislegafterhisteeshotdownthemiddle.JackNicklausjokedaboutthechallengeinbendingovertoputhisteeintheground.TomWatsonoutdrovethembothwithaswingthathasheldupovertime.
Together,thethreeluminariesgottheMastersunderwayThursdayasthetraditionalhonorarystarters.
OneofthereveredtraditionsoftheMastersoccurredjustasthesunwasrisingoverbucolicAugustaNational.Peoplewatchedfromtheclubhouseveranda,andthestatelyoaktreethatservesasapopularmeetingpointonthecourse,asthethreeiconswiththeircombined11greenjacketsstripedtheirteeshotsdownTeaOlive,thescenicopeninghole.
“Ifeelitgetsalittlemorenarroweveryyear,”saidthe89-year-oldPlayerofperhapsthewidestfairwayonthecourse.
Fiftyyearsafterwinninghislastgreenjacket,the85-year-oldNicklauswasjoinedbyhiswife,Barbara,knownwidelyasthe“FirstLadyofGolf.�
