Golfing legend Gary Player on perseverance and going strong at nearly 90
Jan 08, 2025
Golfing legend, Rolex Testimonee and honorary tournament starter at the 63rd LINK Hong Kong Open, Gary Player is still going strong at nearly 90-years-old. He talks to Steve Rockowitz about the value of exercise, the power of sport and the importance of giving back
Thwack. The crowd at the Hong Kong Golf Club in Fanling watched intently as a golf ball soared in an impressive arc, seemingly disappearing into the clouds. The source of this powerful swing? South African golfing legend Gary Player, 89, who stood stoically on the tee box. Player’s appearance was a highlight of the 63rd LINK Hong Kong Open in November, for which he served as the official ambassador and honorary tournament starter, and which also marked the 135th anniversary of the storied golf club.
The Hong Kong Open was first held in 1959, and is Hong Kong’s oldest professional sporting event. Apart from the Masters Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club, it is also the only tournament in the world to be hosted at the same venue for over six consecutive decades. Player has been known to refer to the Hong Kong Open as “Asia’s major”. “I think the fact that it’s played in a golf club that has all these beautiful golf courses, has had an ambassadorial role to a large extent for Hong Kong, and has been in existence for 135 years,” he explains. “There’s no tournament in Asia as of now that comes close.”
Known as the Black Knight for his signature dark outfits, Player boasts a long list of achievements that has cemented him as one of the greatest golfers of all time. Among his impressive 165 victories worldwide, he was notably the first non-American to win the Masters Tournament, and is the only non-American to achieve a Career Grand Slam (winning all four Majors in a career).
Also known as the International Ambassador of Golf, Player was one of the first professional golfers to play on every continent, and has authored or co-written 36 books on golf instruction, philosophy, motivation and fitness. Player also has experience as a golf course architect, with more than 400 design projects across five continents.
As a player, he was always outspoken about the values of playing golf, and even after retiring in 2009, he has continued to advocate for the sport around the world.
Reflecting on his first visit to Hong Kong in 1956, he says, “It’s always been one of the fascinating places I’ve visited in my life. The people are very humble. Coming here, there’s a great ambience, feeling of humility and good manners. And that’s how I like to try and run my life. So I come here with great joy every time.”
The Official Timekeeper for the Hong Kong Open is Rolex, a brand that not only has a deep connection to both the game of golf but also Player personally. He was one of the first Rolex Testimonees, following Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. The partnership began in 1967, marking the prestigious Swiss watch brand’s pivotal commitment to promoting golf worldwide.
“They have a great saying, that everything in business is negotiable except quality,” Player says. “And that’s what Rolex is. Rolex is quality.” Apart from partnering with the principal professional tournaments and tours, the brand also supports amateur tournaments and the top golfers across multiple generations.
When asked about Rolex’s role in enhancing the global image of golf, Player emphasises its consistent support of the sport over the past six decades. “I would say Rolex has been the biggest sponsor of the sport since they started. Not only golf, but charitable work, junior tournaments, women’s tournaments, across the board. They’ve changed the game of golf to a large degree, and it’s fantastic.”
Rolex’s charitable work in particular strikes a chord with Player. Throughout our conversation, he repeatedly references former South African president Nelson Mandela’s quote, “Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does.”
Player’s passion for raising money for charity is a direct result of the hardships he experienced growing up. His father worked as a gold miner, and his mother passed away when he was eight. As a young boy, Player would dig up and sell the golf balls that fell into the pond at his local course. “I know what it is to suffer, and I don’t want to see people suffer, and I don’t want to see wars, you understand?” he says. “Because when you suffer, this comes to your mind. Rolex has helped change the lives of people. For me, that’s more important than a great watch.”
Also see: Rolex deepens partnership with SailGP to mark the start of the Rolex SailGP Championship
Since the beginning of his career, Player has incorporated weight training into his exercise regimen, earning him another nickname: Mr. Fitness. “When I started, they all said, including my friends Arnold [Palmer] and Jack [Nicklaus], ‘Gary, you can’t do weight training; you won’t win a tournament after 35.’ And here I am, 90, and still shooting par, and the others are either dead or can’t break a hundred,” he says. Although the practice still isn’t standard across the sport, Player is glad champion golfers like Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, and Bryson DeChambeau also “exercise fiercely”.
As the crowds at the Hong Kong Open clearly witnessed, Player remains in remarkably good shape. In fact, on the third day of the tournament he tells us, “The doctor who took my blood pressure this morning said, ‘That’s the best blood pressure I’ve ever taken for a man of your age.’ That made me feel good.”
When asked for his fitness tips, Player shares some of the 10 key things he does every day to improve his mental and physical health. The first thing he mentions is, of course, weight training, and then an ice bath, which “reduces inflammation and improves your cells”. To combat forgetfulness, Player reads to learn more and improve his English. He also laughs a lot, and stresses that “you’ve got to love people.” He’s currently in a relationship with a “wonderful woman” who loves to golf and go to the gym with him. “Can you imagine at 89 finding a girlfriend?” he quips. Player also emphasises the value of a good night’s rest, which he referred to as “an amazing ingredient to live a long time.”
These tips overlap with the qualities Player says are required to become a golf champion. He likens the process to putting together the pieces of a puzzle, with each segment representing aspects such as exercise and a balanced diet. However, Player says the world of golf is currently lacking “great teachers” who can impart this wisdom upon young athletes. “If I was a big company, a country, I wouldn’t be paying all these guys these large sums of money to go and play golf,” he says. “I’d be paying top people to come and teach the young people how to play golf. The youth are our future.”
But what’s next for Gary Player? The legendary golfer has seemingly already done it all, and his name has been written into the history books. “I want to reach 100,” he says. “If I do, it’ll be lucky.”
