Gary Player – a.k.a. Mr. Fitness and/or The Black Knight – turns 78 on Friday. And he’s still in better shape than you are.
The South African who won nine majors, and would’ve won more if he hadn’t been born in the same era as Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus, will celebrate his birthday in Shanghai. He’s putting on the Gary Player Invitational to help raise money for AIDS orphans.
Player was recently honored by appearing in the profile series, “21 ICONS South Africa: Honoring the legacy of Nelson Mandela.”
As a player, Player won 24 times on the PGA Tour, 19 times on the Champions (senior) Tour, and also an all-time best 73 times on the Sunshine Tour, which is a pro circuit based in Southern Africa.
But he was still making noise this past summer. He posed nude for ESPN The Magazine and later said Rory McIlroy needed to “find the right wife” to maximize his golf potential. While he may or may not have some valuable tips on marriage, Player is surely one whose exercise regimen can be followed.
Related: Player in ESPN ‘Body Issue’ | Player: Rory Needs ‘Right Wife’
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