{"id":34634,"date":"2024-04-23T10:43:27","date_gmt":"2024-04-23T14:43:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/?p=34634"},"modified":"2024-04-23T10:43:27","modified_gmt":"2024-04-23T14:43:27","slug":"iconic-golfer-gary-player-delivers-patriotic-message-you-should-kiss-the-ground-every-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/2024\/04\/iconic-golfer-gary-player-delivers-patriotic-message-you-should-kiss-the-ground-every-day.html","title":{"rendered":"Iconic Golfer Gary Player Delivers Patriotic Message: ‘You Should Kiss the Ground Every Day’"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Legendary golfer Gary Player will never take his opportunity to play golf for granted. The three-time Masters winner played at Augusta for the last time in 2009, 52 years after his first and was named an honorary starter in 2012. Once again, he, Tom Watson, and Jack Nicklaus teed off to kick off the tournament, an honor also held by Lee Elder, Arnold Palmer, Sam Snead, Gene Sarazen, and other legends.<\/p>\n

When kicking off the tournament once again, the nine-time major winner and South African native gave a patriotic speech, giving credit to the country in which he became a global icon. Player said after his tee shot, \u201cI never forget to mention this, but coming to this great country, the United States of America, if you are here, you are so blessed. You should kiss the ground every day and just appreciate what this country has done for the world, not only for yourself, but it\u2019s about time America started doing more for their own. Well, obviously, having been here or associated with Augusta for 67 years and having come here for the first time in \u201957 and met one of my heroes, President Eisenhower, because, as we all know, he\u2019s a man who believed in freedom, and what he did for this great country, you can\u2019t describe it.\u201d<\/p>\n