Lee Elder became entrenched in Masters lore when he competed in 1975.<\/p>\n
45 years later, he\u2019s synonymous with the evolution of Augusta National Golf Club.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Elder made history as the first African-American golfer to compete in the Masters. His legacy will be honoured in the 2021 Masters, participating as an Honorary Starter, alongside Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In a year highlighted by pandemic, loss, protest and racial reckoning, the green jackets at Augusta National struck a perfect tone in honouring Elder.<\/span><\/p>\n “It was heartwarming,”\u00a0Elder said in an interview with ESPN’s Tom Rinaldi.<\/a> “It was a special moment for me. … This will allow me to be a part of something much more than just hitting a ball off the first tee.”<\/span><\/p>\n The first Masters tournament occurred in 1934. The event required 41 years before a black golfer graced its hallowed grounds.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s no secret Augusta National\u2019s history is permeated with racial undertones and policies. Look no further than the course\u2019s co-founder, Clifford Roberts, who uttered: \u201cAs long as I\u2019m alive, all the golfers will be white and all the caddies will be black.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n So began the racial divide between privileged and marginalized, the haves, and have nots. A microcosm of what occurred in American society for generations.<\/span><\/p>\n Even with monumental social change, notably the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Augusta National still barred black golfers. Until Lee Elder broke the colour barrier.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Eight years earlier, Elder earned a spot on the PGA Tour through Q school. In his rookie season, the Dallas native generated $38,000 earnings, his most notable result coming in a playoff defeat against Jack Nicklaus at the American Golf Classic.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In 1974, Elder won his first PGA Tour event at the Monsanto Open. This qualified Elder into the Masters, a watershed moment for a golf club riddled with a racist past.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n However, before the tournament began, Elder received death threats and hate mail, forcing the young golfer to rent two Augusta houses instead of one, so he could migrate between them. Whenever Elder had meals, he was accompanied by a de facto \u201csecurity detail.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Such was the case for many African-Americans living in Georgia at that time, subject to incessant prejudice and discrimination.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Elder ended up missing the cut at the 1975 Masters. But the moment reverberates between the towering Georgia pine trees, a reminder to honour those whose legacy shaped the history of this iconic tournament.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Despite Elder\u2019s moment, Augusta National remained attached to its older guidelines. It took until 1990 for African-American members to be admitted and 2012 for women to be a part of the membership.<\/span><\/p>\n The rationale for maintaining the status quo? Tradition. Just like the azaleas that bloom every April or the green jacket presentation in Butler Cabin, the leadership at Augusta National clung to the past, refusing to evolve.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Until Fred Ridley became chairman. Since then, without explicitly saying so, Augusta National began the process to transition away from its checkered past. The golf club hosts a Latin America Amateur event, and a Women\u2019s Am the week before the Masters takes place. The club pledged to fund women\u2019s golf through scholarships at an HBCU, with the desire to enhance the sport\u2019s inclusivity and acceptance for women and people of colour.<\/span><\/p>\n Chairman Ridley didn\u2019t shy away from asserting that the conversations sparked over the summer, in large part due to George Floyd\u2019s tragic death, led to Elder\u2019s recognition this week.<\/span><\/p>\n Lee Elder, the first Black man to compete in the Masters Tournament 45 years ago, is being honored by Augusta National. #themasters<\/a><\/p>\n Read more: https:\/\/t.co\/VKRmbUBcuc<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/puJWHSIu9B<\/a><\/p>\n — The Masters (@TheMasters) November 9, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n***<\/h2>\n
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