Player's amazing run ends with reflection and appreciation

After a record 52 years and 164 competitive rounds, the legendary Gary Player finished his Masters career Friday by soaking up the love from thousands of patrons and many of his fellow players.

By Helen Ross, PGATOUR.COM Chief of Correspondents

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- As he came to Augusta National’s 18th green with the shadows lengthening on Friday afternoon, Gary Player knelt on one knee, clasped his hands and bowed his head briefly as if in prayer.

He would later say he didn’t quite know what to do. Should he tip his hat and acknowledge the cheers that had followed him up that final fairway -- for all 18 holes, really -- or maybe wave and graciously return the applause?

No. Player wanted to do something different as he closed out his career at the Masters. So he went down on one knee to pay his respects.

“It was just a message,” he said simply. “Thank you.”

Thanks to the fans in attendance Friday and all the others who had followed Player’s record 52-year run. Thanks, too, for men like Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and the rest, who had pushed him to the highest reaches of this grand old game.

And most of all, thanks for the Augusta National, a cathedral of a golf course where he has played 164 rounds -- one more now than Nicklaus -- and won the Masters three times.

“If there is a golf course in heaven, I am sure this is what it looks like,” said Player, who was wearing his trademark black shirt, cap and slacks and blowing kisses to the crowd.

As the 73-year-old putted out for the final time, four young South Africans -- Rory Sabbatini, Richard Sterne, Louis Oosthuizen and Trevor Immelman, who won the Masters last year -- waited by the green scoring trailer and joined in the applause. So did American Dustin Johnson, who had played in the previous group.

While the crowd paid their final respects, the four South Africans walked down the pathway to the green with Masters Chairman Billy Payne to greet Player. Hugs were exchanged, words spoken and tears shed as he went to sign his scorecard one last time.

“Obviously for anybody in the golfing world, that’s a pretty memorable and special occasion right there,” Sabbatini said. “ … He deserves a lot of respect and earned a lot of respect, and it was great to see all the South African guys down there just to enjoy the moment and congratulate him. It was phenomenal.”

Player’s wife, several of his six children and many of those 20 grandkids were waiting to greet him -- wearing black shirts with the Black Knight logo. His lip quivered, he drew deep breaths to compose himself and he blinked back tears as he faced the Augusta National videographer before being whisked away for a final round of interviews.

“A lot of wisdom coming out there -- let’s put it that way,” one of his playing partners, Stephen Ames, said of their historic Friday date.

The third member of the draw, Luke Donald, had played with Jack Nicklaus when he bid farewell to the Open Championship at St. Andrews in 2005. He remembers it taking nearly 50 minutes to play the 18th that day, and Friday was equally special.

“That last 18th hole took a lot out of Mr. Player, and obviously, a lot of emotions, all of his experiences and memories over the last 52 years came flooding back,” Donald said.

The emotion tumbled into standing ovations at every hole as the knowledgeable and appreciative crowd paid its respects to one of the greatest players to ever live. Player is one of just five men to own the career Grand Slam.

“I wish I had … the vocabulary of Winston Churchill to say the correct thing, but it was a feast,” Player would later say. “It was something you'll never, ever forget. You'll go to your grave knowing you had tremendous love showered upon yourself.”

Player gives as good as he gets, too.

The son of a coal miner who once got overdrawn buying his son a set of golf clubs, Player has worked tirelessly to support charities in his South Africa and around the world. He has raised so much money for The Player Foundation, which promotes education for underprivileged children, that there will be $1 million yearly in perpetuity to fund the cause.

Player lists Churchill, Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa and Mahatma Gandhi among his heroes -- and frequently quotes them with the zeal of a revival preacher. He has built schools, and his wife gives young black kids Bible lessons on their ranch where he breeds his beloved thoroughbreds.

Player also has a thriving golf course design business with more than 200 projects around the world. He won’t completely abandon the game, either; he expects to play in eight to 10 Champions Tour events this year.

“I won't be bored,” said a smiling Player, who plans to come back to play in the Par 3 Contest and spectate. “I'll keep very, very busy.”

Player estimates that he has traveled more than 15 million miles in his career. He used to fly 40 hours -- with five stops to refuel -- in a Constellation, a four-engine propeller-driven airliner, at 29,000 feet to get from South Africa to the United States.

Few trips, though, were harder than the final 465 yards he climbed toward the sprawling white antebellum clubhouse on Friday.

“I actually hit my best shot of the two days at 18,” said Player, ever the competitor. “ I just could not even really focus on my putt, because I mean, they are just going on and on, which was just so gratifying.

“And I mean, wow, the message comes through, of this great love. You're overawed. You're overawed.”

And so was the crowd on this special afternoon where Player made history one last time.