Gary Player has turned ninety, and, as he stated in an interview with Golf Digest, he plays golf four times a week and hits a 240-yard drive.
But the most interesting part of that interview was another.
Gary Player, statements
As he explained his personal formula for a long life, the narrative took an unexpected turn:
"...Also, alcohol is a killer. Everyone drinks."
"I don't know if you noticed what happened at the Ryder Cup this year: everyone was using the word FxxK."
"And I'll tell you the reason why the Ryder Cup needs to be scrapped."
Here's where the interview took a turn:
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"Yes, I'd love to see it abolished, and I'll tell you why."
"No one loves golf more than I do, but I love it so much that I sat down and grimaced."
"The whole world was watching: all you could hear was the word FxxK, and you could see people behaving badly."
To the next question, about the possibility of saving the Ryder Cup, he replied:
"There is. Just look at Augusta: Have you ever seen anything like this at Augusta? Have you ever seen anything like this at the U.S. Open? At the British Open (Player calls it The Open, like the Americans doEditor's note)? No."
Words like stones, hurled by the oldest of all living golf legends, that have sent the upper echelons of professional golf into a tizzy.
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And so, as if out of nowhere, the statement came, two days ago, Player released a statement with a very different tone:
"It has been brought to my attention that some media outlets have reported that I wish to see the end of the Ryder Cup: nothing could be further from the truth."
"I have the utmost respect for the organizers, the PGA of America, and the Ryder Cup Europe."
"Of course, given my South African roots, I have never played in the Ryder Cup. But, throughout my career, I have loved playing match play..."
"Furthermore, serving as Team Internationals Captain in the Presidents Cup was one of the greatest honors of my career."
"My comments about the Ryder Cup were a warning sign for this great competition, which risks being over forever if the recent behavior in New York is tolerated any longer, with the risk that it could become something worse."
