Lee Elder, the first black golfer to compete in The Masters at Augusta in 1975 and champion of racial injustice, dies at the age of 87
- Lee Elder has passed away at the age of 87 – a cause of death was not given
- Elder will be remembered as the first black player to compete at The Masters
- Elder won four competitions in his career as a player on the PGA Tour
Lee Elder, a champion of racial justice who in 1975 became the first black man to compete in the Masters, has died at the age of 87, the PGA Tour said on Monday.
A cause of death was not given.
Elder made his historic Masters debut in 1975 but it would be more than a decade later in 1990 before Augusta National – one of the world’s most exclusive clubs -would welcome Ron Townsend as its first Black member.
Lee Elder – pictured playing in the 1975 Masters competition, where he made history as the first black man to play the event at Augusta – has died at the age of 87
Elder pictured at Augusta in April 2021, where he was invited to be an honorary starter
During his career, Elder won four events on the PGA Tour, including the 1974 Monsanto Open which qualified him for the following year’s Masters, and later recorded eight wins on the PGA Tour Champions.
In 2020, Augusta National announced it would celebrate Elder by adding him as an honorary starter with golfing greats Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player at this year’s Masters.
Elder, who had limited mobility, was driven to the first hole at Augusta National in a golf cart this past April where he was warmly welcomed but did not hit a tee shot.
‘For me and my family, I think it was one of the most emotional experiences that I have ever witnessed or been involved in,’ Elder said after the…
Source : dailymail
