The legendary Gary Player will take part within the ceremonial opening tee shot on the ninetieth version of the Masters this Thursday. His son Wayne, nevertheless, will not be in attendance to witness that second.
Wayne Player hasn’t been allowed at Augusta National Golf Club attributable to a “tacky” determination he made on the 2021 Masters.
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As Lee Elder was being acknowledged through the Honorary Starters ceremony for the Masters, followers observed that Wayne Player was holding a field of OnCore golf balls. That advertising and marketing stunt did not sit nicely with the officers at Augusta National, that is for positive.
Not solely was Wayne’s badge for Augusta National stripped from him for the remainder of the week, he is been banned from the premises.
“Well, they say there’s no such thing as bad publicity. I found out that that’s not quite true. I had probably 50 texts after that, 40 of them said I’m a marketing genius, 10 were like, ‘What the hell were you thinking.’ It wasn’t premeditated, but it was a tacky thing. I don’t mind letting people know,” he told Golf Digest. “To be completely transparent, I think it is a cool story because, you know, the National never really came out formally and said, ‘Oh, we’re not allowing Wayne Player to come back to the Masters.’ They never ever said that to the media. That’s just the way they do it. They don’t say much.”
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Apr 10, 2025; Augusta, Georgia, USA; Gary Player suggestions his hat to the group after serving as an honorary begin through the first spherical of the Masters Tournament. Mandatory Credit: Katie Goodale-Imagn Images Katie Goodale-Imagn Images
(Katie Goodale-Imagn Images)
Wayne Player tried to make up for his mistake.
After this incident occurred, Wayne Player despatched an apology letter and tried to get again in Augusta National’s good graces. He was primarily instructed “thanks but no thanks.”
Gary Player, in the meantime, counseled the officers who run the Masters for sticking to their weapons.
“It was wrong. And I said to Augusta, ‘Listen, a man’s got to take his punishment.’ If he does something wrong and you don’t want him back here again, then just bar him. That’s what you go to do.”
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The 2026 Masters will start this Thursday at 7:40 a.m. ET.
This story was initially printed by The Spun on Apr 8, 2026, the place it first appeared within the Golf part. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
