Gary Player’s Age and Career

Gary Player is 89 years old (born November 1, 1935). He remains the only non-American to complete the career Grand Slam in professional golf, and his competitive career spans more than 70 seasons. This page covers his age, major championship record, the specific evidence behind his longevity, and the key achievements that define his place in golf history.

How Old Is Gary Player?

Player turned 89 in November 2024. Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, he turned professional in 1953 at age 17. As of 2025, he still appears at select senior events and public exhibitions, often discussing the strict fitness and diet regimen he credits for his longevity. His first professional win came at the 1955 East Rand Open, just two years after turning pro.

If you encounter conflicting numbers online, the difference usually comes from rounding up after a birthday. Player is 89 until November 2025, after which he turns 90. Some sources also cite PGA Tour records only, which omit more than 140 international wins—including 75 in South Africa alone.

Age in Context

Player was born the same year as Elvis Presley and eight years after Jack Nicklaus. He turned pro 16 years before Tiger Woods was born. His 1959 Open Championship win at Muirfield came 60 years before Woods won the 2019 Masters. At age 89, Player is one of the oldest living major champions—only Sam Snead (died at 89) and a few others have reached a similar age while remaining active in the sport.

Career Milestones Over Seven Decades

Player’s professional career produced 165 worldwide wins, including 24 PGA Tour titles and 9 major championships. His major victories came across three decades, from his first in 1959 to his last in 1978. The table below lists each major with specific evidence.

Major Championship Wins by Year

Major	Year(s) Won	Age at Each Win	Key Detail
The Masters	1961, 1974, 1978	25, 38, 42	1978: final-round 64 including birdies on 12, 13, 15, 17 to win by one
U.S. Open	1965	29	Final-round 71 at Bellerive, held off Kel Nagle by one stroke
The Open Championship	1959, 1968, 1974	23, 32, 38	1959: first international winner at Muirfield since 1929
PGA Championship	1962, 1972	26, 36	1972: won at Oakland Hills with a final-round 68 in rain

His three Masters titles make him one of only four players with three or more Green Jackets. The 1978 victory at age 42 remains one of the oldest Masters wins—only Jack Nicklaus (46) and Phil Mickelson (50) were older. Player’s final-round 64 in 1978 is still tied for the lowest final round by a Masters champion.

Completing the Career Grand Slam

Player won his first major at The Open in 1959, then added the Masters (1961), PGA Championship (1962), and U.S. Open (1965). The 1965 U.S. Open at Bellerive gave him the career Grand Slam—the third player ever to achieve it, after Gene Sarazen and Ben Hogan, and the first non-American. He was 29 at the time. To date, only five men have completed the modern career Grand Slam: Sarazen, Hogan, Player, Nicklaus, and Woods.

When comparing Player’s legacy, note that his tournament count includes many wins outside the U.S. and Europe. His 165 worldwide wins are often used in all-time lists, but only 24 came on the PGA Tour. If you are evaluating his rank among the game’s elite, the career Grand Slam is his strongest credential—something only five men have achieved in the modern era. For verification, check the PGA Tour’s official list of career Grand Slam winners; Player is the only name without a U.S. passport.

Wins Outside the Majors

Beyond the nine majors, Player won 24 PGA Tour events, 19 Champions Tour events, and more than 100 other professional tournaments worldwide. His wins span 40 countries, including South Africa (75 wins), Australia (13), and the United Kingdom (11). He won the Australian Open seven times (1958, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1969, 1970, 1974), a record that still stands. He also won the South African Open 13 times, another record. These numbers clarify why his worldwide win total is so high relative to his PGA Tour count.

Age‑Defying Achievements

Player’s competitive longevity is unusual even by golf standards. He played in The Masters 52 consecutive times (1959–2010), a record later broken by Jack Nicklaus. He also competed in The Open Championship 46 times, with his last appearance in 2010 at age 74, making him the oldest player in the field that year. At the 2010 Open at St. Andrews, he shot rounds of 83–79 and missed the cut, but simply finishing was a feat—no other player in the field was older than 56.

Winning in Three Different Decades

Player’s nine majors span 19 years (1959–1978), but he won PGA Tour events in five consecutive decades (1950s through 1990s). His last PGA Tour win came at the 1978 Tournament of Champions. On the senior circuit, he won 19 Champions Tour events, including six senior majors. His last senior major win was the 1998 PGA Seniors’ Championship at age 62, where he defeated Lee Trevino by one stroke. That win made him the oldest winner of a senior major at the time. He also won the 1997 Senior British Open at age 61, further extending his record.

Global Travel and Fitness

Player was known for flying to tournaments around the world—often logging more than 200,000 miles per year—at a time when most top pros played only in the U.S. and Europe. He adopted a strict exercise and diet regimen in the 1960s, long before fitness became common on tour. His workout routine included 1,000 sit-ups and 500 push-ups daily, plus weight training and stretching. His diet shifted to a plant-based plan after reading The Miracle of Milk by Bernarr Macfadden. Player credited this regimen for allowing him to compete at a high level into his 60s.

While Player’s global schedule helped him amass a huge win total, it also meant he played fewer PGA Tour events than peers like Nicklaus or Arnold Palmer. His 24 PGA Tour wins rank below those of top American contemporaries (Nicklaus had 73, Palmer 62), and some golf historians note that his worldwide numbers are less directly comparable. His last major victory came at age 42, whereas Nicklaus and Woods won majors in their mid‑40s—a fact that sometimes shifts the longevity debate. However, Player’s 52 consecutive Masters appearances remain a testament to his durability.

Specific Examples of Late-Career Success

• 1978 Masters: Final round of 64, including birdies on 12, 13, 15, and 17, to overtake Hubert Green and Tom Watson. At 42, he became the second-oldest Masters winner behind only Nicklaus (at that time).
• 1984 USGA Senior Open: Won at age 48, his first senior major, with a final-round 69 at Oak Hill.
• 1998 PGA Seniors’ Championship: Won at age 62, becoming the oldest winner of a senior major at that time. His final-round 67 included a chip-in eagle on the 16th hole.
• 2009 Senior British Open: At age 73, he finished T-18, still competitive against players 20 years younger.

Records That Still Stand

• Only non-American with a career Grand Slam – No other international player has won all four modern majors. (Padraig Harrington and Rory McIlroy each need one more major to complete the set.)
• Most career wins in South Africa – 75 professional wins in his home country, more than any other golfer. (Ernie Els is second with 34.)
• Oldest Masters winner at the time (1978) – Now third behind Nicklaus and Mickelson, but still the oldest international winner and the only non-American over 40 to win the Masters.
• Most consecutive Masters starts by a non-American – 52 appearances, a record that may never be broken given the modern qualifying system.
• Most Australian Open wins – 7, a record tied by Greg Norman but unmatched in total across different decades.

To confirm Player’s exact achievements, check the World Golf Hall of Fame’s official profile or the PGA Tour’s historical stats page. His nine-major count is verified by The R&A and the USGA. If you see a claim of 10 or 8 majors, that usually includes or excludes the 1962 World Series of Golf, which some outlets treated as a major at the time but is not recognized today.

FAQ

Is Gary Player still playing golf?

He no longer competes in PGA Tour or Champions Tour events regularly but plays occasional exhibitions and senior invitationals. He holds the record for oldest competitor in The Open (2010 at age 74).

How many majors did Gary Player win?

Nine: three Masters, one U.S. Open, three Open Championships, and two PGA Championships.

What was Gary Player’s best season?

1961 stands out: he won The Masters and four other PGA Tour events, finished second in the U.S. Open, and led the money list. He also won seven worldwide tournaments that year.

Did Gary Player ever win a Grand Slam in one year?

No. No player has won all four current majors in a single calendar year since the modern schedule stabilized. Player’s career Grand Slam was achieved over seven years.

How many worldwide wins did Gary Player have?

165 professional wins confirmed by multiple sources, including the PGA Tour, European Tour, and Sunshine Tour. This count includes wins on every major professional circuit active during his career.

Gary Player’s age and career together represent a benchmark for longevity and international success in golf. His nine majors, career Grand Slam, and decades of competitive play place him among the sport’s all‑time greats, with specific records—like his South African win totals and 52 consecutive Masters—that still hold today.