Gary Player is a nine-time major champion and over that period, he won three Open Championships across three different decades.
Player is one of golf’s most decorated stars and is one of a handful of men to have achieved the career grand slam that we saw Rory McIlroy snatch in 2025.
In the 60s and 70s, Player was very much a dominant force alongside the likes of Arnold Palmer and then Jack Nicklaus.
However, it was in the 50s when we saw the South African win his first ever major as he triumphed at The Open Championship at Muirfield.
Still, while Player did get it over the line in Scotland, it’s safe to say that he did his absolute best to not get that first major win.
How Gary Player nearly threw away his first Open Championship success
Looking back now and checking the basic stats of Player winning by two shots, it would appear he was pretty comfortable in the end.
However, that is far from the true story of the event.
Player had played his way back into contention during the third round. After round two, Player found himself some eight shots back of the leader, Fred Bullock.
But Player rallied, and in the third round he carded a fine round of 70 to stay in contention while Bullock struggled to a 74.
Then, in the final round, Player really showed his class as he came home in 68 while Bullock once again carded a poor round of 74.
Still, there was plenty of drama as Player, going up the 18th hole, made a rare mistake to find the fairway bunker and play the par four 18th hole in six shots to leave his victory in the balance.
In the end, it was just enough as Bullock and the rest of the chasing pack failed to capitalise.
Player got his first win in a major but it wasn’t without frustration and on the South African’s part, anger.
Why Gary Player was angry with himself at the 1959 Open
Luckily for Gary Player, the rest of the field couldn’t match his own performance at Muirfield and in the end, it was a good job they didn’t.
At the time, Player himself thought he had very much blown it and speaking about the situation he found himself in after his six on 18, the South African admitted he was angry and upset.
“I made six, and my entire world seemed to disintegrate,” Player is quoted as saying at the time. “I had the British Open Championship all but packed up in my bag and I finished with a miserable six.
“It is reported that I cried. I didn’t. But I certainly felt like it, not so much out of self pity, but from sheer anger and temper with myself. To have botched a great round, to have squandered a championship in that way, was criminal.”
Looking back, it probably did Player the world of good having to really battle and face the mental blocks taking place.
Indeed, two more Open wins and another six majors suggest that it very much helped Player in the long-term.
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