In a tournament packed with traditions, the Honorary Starters Ceremony at the Masters is arguably its most cherished. This celebration was especially poignant Thursday, as Lee Elder, who broke the tournament’s color barrier in 1975, was recognized for his courage and efforts as a trail blazer, joining Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player for the event’s opening tee shots. Touching as the moment proved to be, in the hours afterward fans took to social media to express frustration at the perceived actions of Gary Player’s caddie during the festivities.
As the video of the ceremony made the rounds of Twitter and Instagram, observant fans noticed that Wayne Player, Gary’s son, was serving as his honorary caddie, and that he was positioned behind Elder during Elder’s introduction holding a box of OnCore golf balls.
Companies attaching themselves to Honorary Starters is not new—Elder himself was seen wearing a Travis Mathew shirt with a Ping hat and golf bag—and OnCore is a sponsor of Gary Player. However, some questioned on social media whether Wayne and OnCore used a guerrilla marketing tactic during Elder’s spotlight.
Partially fueling the outrage is Wayne Player’s past. In 2018, Wayne was arrested and charged with deposit account fraud/bad check stemming from renting a house for clients during the 2018 Masters. In an interview with Golf Digest following the arrest, Wayne blamed the matter on a check that was not written properly. “I’m not trying to make excuses, but that’s what happened, and it’s on me,” Wayne said.
Golf Digest has reached out to Wayne and OnCore for statements on the matter. Representatives from OnCore replied with a press release touting its involvement with Gary Player.
“We’re thrilled to be associated with Mr. Player—his accomplishments, his character, and his impact on the game—here and around the globe are unmatched,” said OnCore’s CEO Keith Blakely. “He has served as a role model for golfers everywhere with his emphasis on physical fitness, philanthropy, and personal integrity and wherever he goes, he is approached by individuals who thank him for personally inspiring or affecting their lives.”
In a follow-up email asking about Wayne’s actions, Blakely, through a spokesperson, reiterated the company’s partnership with Gary Player. “We were obviously thrilled with [Gary’s] reaction to the ball and his interest in participating in the company so we reached an agreement ahead of the 2019 Masters and he has been involved as a stakeholder and ambassador ever since.”
As of writing, Wayne Player has yet to respond to comment.