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Legends get Masters underway
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Legends get Masters underway

Gary Player joined Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer as honorary starters for The Masters Tournament - and showed them what he is still capable of.

The 76 year old South African followed 82 year old Palmer onto the tee for a ceremonial opening drive and found the middle of the fairway some 250 yards away.

It was around 50 yards further than Palmer and 72 year old Nicklaus then split the difference between them.

With that the trio who used to be known as golf's "Big Three" - they have 13 Masters titles between them - retired to the clubhouse and allowed the tournament proper to begin.

 Honorary starters Arnold Palmer, Gary Player of South Africa and Jack Nicklaus

Player said: "It was a great thrill, having had this wonderful relationship, great friendship with Arnold and Jack for a long, long time and having traveled extensively around the world together.  We've even cried together, and we've laughed together, and we've had good times."

Conditions were perfect for the early starters. Torrential rain on Tuesday night had softened up Augusta National and it was a bright, still morning as the 76th Masters Tournament began.

Despite the receptive greens and calm conditions there was still nothing easy about the 445 yard opening hole - as American Robert Garrigus showed.

After driving into the left-hand trees and coming up short of the green he duffed his chip and four-putted from 35 feet for a triple bogey seven.

Scot Paul Lawrie, back in the event after an eight-year absence, was relieved to walk off with a par. His first putt from 40 feet curled seven feet left of the hole, but he made it.

First player to make a birdie was South African Tim Clark at the long second, while European Ryder Cup Captain José María Olazábal set off with two pars.

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