'Special to see': Honorary starters begin 87th Masters with tee shots

Apr. 6—AUGUSTA — Jack Nicklaus wasn't having any of it.

When a tournament official volunteered to tee up his golf ball Thursday morning, the six-time Masters Tournament champion shooed him away.

"That's the hardest part of this," the Golden Bear quipped as he bent over to put the tee in the ground.

And then he piped one down the first fairway.

"Wow," Nicklaus said as he returned to Barbara, his longtime wife and caddie for the morning. "How about that?"

Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tom Watson hit ceremonial tee shots to mark the opening ceremony for the 87th Masters. Thousands of patrons, club officials and members ringed the first tee box, with many standing on the clubhouse veranda to get a better view.

Augusta National and Masters Chairman Fred Ridley introduced the trio and noted they had a combined 11 green jackets and 140 Masters appearances.

Player, 87, and Nicklaus, 83, have served as honorary starters for a while. Arnold Palmer revived the tradition in 2007 after a five-year hiatus, and Nicklaus and Player soon joined him. After Palmer's death in 2016, they carried on and were joined by Lee Elder on the first tee in 2021.

Elder, who died in late 2021, was a one-time starter to mark his status as the tournament's first Black participant. Watson joined them in 2022 as the tournament's 11th honorary starter.

Player was the first to go and hit a solid shot. He then punctuated the moment with one of his leg kicks. He was wearing a brace on his right wrist after a recent tumble from a horse.

After Nicklaus hit, it was Watson's turn. He, too, has been banged up after he suffered a go-kart crash at his farm last year.

"You don't ride go-karts at my age," Watson, 73, said. "Maybe you do."

Trevor Immelman, the 2008 Masters winner and in his first year as lead golf analyst for CBS, said it was his first time watching the opening ceremony.

"It's just really incredible. I've experienced so many amazing things at Augusta National, in and around the Masters," he said. "To add that to it now, especially doing it as part of the media here this week, it really was special to see."

He also was pleased to watch Player, a fellow South African, "crush one right down the middle."

"This tournament means so much to all of us," Immelman said. "Whether you've won here before or competed, or coming as a patron or part of the media, this tournament is special to all of us."

After all three tee shots had been hit, Ridley addressed the gallery.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the 2023 Masters is now officially underway," he said. "Enjoy the tournament."