Escondido, CA, November 30 (US): Lee Elder played in the ravages of racism. He has broken enormous barriers. He carved a path for Tiger Woods and the others to follow.
Finally, in the last months of his life, he took his rightful place in the Augusta National.
Along with the greats.
Elder, who battled through many obstacles to become the first black golfer to play on the Masters Tour, has died at the age of 87, the PGA Tour announced Monday.
“Golf lost a champ,” said 18-time champion Jack Nicklaus.
His death was first reported by Debert Cook of the African American golfer. No reason was given, but the elder was in poor health and was wearing an oxygen tube when the Masters attended in April.
The tour reported that he died early Sunday in Escondido, California, the Associated Press reported.
At this year’s Masters, Elder was given the honor of taking the ceremonial opening tee along with Nicklaus, the six-time Masters champion, and Gary Player, who won the green jacket three times.
Sadly, Elder wasn’t good enough to take a shot that he once kicked with great force.
But he stood briefly to pay tribute to the show’s cheer, raised his driver, and watched proudly from a chair at the first podium as Nicklaus and Player hit the picks that traditionally opened the year’s first major championship.
“For me and my family, I think it was one of the most emotional experiences I’ve ever had or been involved in,” Elder said.
“That morning, you could see the joy in Lee’s face,” Nicklaus said Monday. “Gary Player and I had the privilege of enjoying that moment with him.”
A Texan who upped his game during racial segregation while holding the racquet and touring, Elder made history in 1975 at Augusta National, which held an all-white tournament until he received an invite after winning the Monsanto Open the previous year.
Elder missed the opportunity to participate in his first Masters tournament, but he has forever established himself as a leading figure in a sport previously not known for racial tolerance.
After 22 years, Woods became the first black golfer to win the green jacket, launching one of the greatest careers in golf history.
“Lee Elder was a pioneer, and in many ways,” Niklaus wrote on his Twitter account. “Yes, he was the first black golfer to play on the Masters, but this simply underscores the hard work Lee put in to advance the cause of everyone who has a dream of playing on the PGA Tour and probably thinks there are a lot of roadblocks ahead of them.”
After Woods’ record 12-stroke win in 1997 – the first of his five Masters titles and 15 majors overall – it was reflected in the contributions of black golfers such as Elder and Charlie Seaford, the first black player on the tour.
“I thought of these young people who are going to be 18,” Woods said that evening. I said a small prayer and said thank you. I was not the first. I was not the pioneer. I thank them. I think that’s why this victory is so special. Me, because of what he did, I was able to play here. Thanks to Charlie, I was able to play on the PGA Tour. I lived my dream because of these guys.”
Augusta National and Masters Chairman Fred Ridley described Elder as a “true pioneer in golf.”
“Lee has been an inspiration to many young men and women of color, not only through his play, but also through his commitment to education and community,” Ridley said in a statement. “His presence will be sorely missed, but his legacy will continue to be celebrated.”
Elder got into golf as a caddy, because that was essentially the only channel black players had to be allowed on the course. He was able to improve his game while serving in the army, and after his discharge, he joined the United Golf Association Tour for Black Players in the early 1960s.
He has grown into one of the top UGA players, winning 18 of 22 championships in one dominant period, but meager prize money has made it difficult to earn a living. Finally, at age 33, Elder had saved enough to pay for PGA-qualified school, that he was awarded his first Tour ticket for the 1968 season.
The highlight of his rookie year was a memorable loss for Nicklaus on the fifth hole of a sudden death playoff at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio.
Elder will go on to have four PGA Tour wins and eight more PGA Tour Champions wins for players over 50 years old. He played in all four Grand Slams, and tied for eleventh place in both the 1974 PGA Championship and the 1979 US Open.
His best result in six matches for the Masters was tied 17 in 1979. That same year, he was a member of the US Ryder Cup winning team.
But Elder’s impact on the game far exceeds the wins and losses, even if it takes decades for his legacy to be fully appreciated.
“It has always amazed me that presidents of the United States would give these various awards to athletes for their athletic prowess, and here was a man… he was never given the awards he really deserved,” said Blair.
Elder was 40 when he played in his first Masters, and many of his early years had already been stolen from him due to racism and prejudice.
The PGA only had a Caucasian base until 1961 – 14 years after Jackie Robinson broke the baseball color barrier.
It took another 14 years before the Masters finally accepted a black player, though Elder’s appearance coupled with death threats shocked him so badly that he rented two homes in Augusta, so no one would be entirely sure where he’d been staying all week.
Last November, after racial protests engulfed the nation and a master’s tournament delayed by the pandemic was finally played, Augusta National officially recognized Elder’s enormous contributions by establishing two scholarships in his name at Paine College, a historically black school in the eastern Georgia city.
The club also planned for him to participate in the festive shooting with Niklaus and a player in this year’s Masters tournament.
“That’s something that’s going to be important to me,” Elder said at the time, “because 1975 was just a regular golf shot, even though it was a Masters.” “It’s not as important as this shot on April 8, 2021. Because my heart and soul will be in this shot.”
His health didn’t cooperate, but it was obvious that Elder was deeply affected just to be with Niklaus and Lier in such a sacred place.
Former Masters champs Bubba Watson and Phil Mickelson, both in green jackets, made sure they came for the party. So was Cameron Champ, one of four players of black origin on the PGA Tour.
“It is a great honor, and I cherish it very much, and I will always cherish it,” Elder said.
Nicklaus added, “You’re too late.”
Robert Lee Elder was born on July 14, 1934 in Dallas, Texas, the youngest of 10 children.
His father was killed during World War II when the sheikh was nine years old, and his mother died three months later. He was received by his aunt, Sarah, when he was eleven and lived for a time in Los Angeles before returning to Texas.
Elder wrote in Golf Digest in 2019: “My aunt was a wonderful person. She gave me love and discipline, and never let me get out of line. Her resources were limited, but she carried herself with great dignity, got along well with people and taught me right from wrong. I was on my own after about 16, but it got me to a point where I can take care of myself.”
It was also when Elder played a full 18-hole round for the first time, adding to his love of golf.
He carried zip and zip games whenever he could and developed his skills in the army while serving under a golf-loving colonel who assigned him to a special unit where he could play regularly.
“It’s fascinating to look back at Lee’s life and career and realize the hardships he endured and the sacrifices he made to reach the highest level in golf,” said Jay Monahan, PGA Tour Commissioner. “The success that he achieved, while paving the way for others to dream and achieve, is a testament to the kind of man he was and how much talent he possessed.”
Elder Robinson, who died in 1972, knew and was close to Hank Aaron, who had been subjected to racial threats throughout his baseball career, particularly when he came close to the Babe Ruth tag on his home ground.
Aaron set his record of 715 on Homer on April 8, 1974.
Twelve days later, Elder won the Monsanto Open to qualify for the Masters the following year.
Elder visited with Aaron shortly before Hammer’s death in January.
“We talked about several things…our sports, our own sport and participation that we felt could help other young black people who turned out behind us,” Elder said. “And I certainly hope the things I’ve done have inspired a lot of young black players and will continue to do so.”
Elder, who is survived by his wife Sharon, was in the historic 1997 Augusta National Woods win. He wasn’t about to miss seeing a black golfer win the championship for the first time.
After all, it was the elder who paved the way.