Big Three tee off again, share memories and laughs

Gary Player leaned back in his chair, heartily laughing.

Jack Nicklaus, picturing Arnold Palmer coming down Magnolia Lane 50 years ago in a little two-door pink-coral Ford, laughed like a villain who just remembered a superhero’s darkest secret.

The Big Three have played and traveled together so long, and know one another so well, they follow one another’s sentences and memories with playful digs or laughs.

As they have as a group since 2012, Nicklaus, Palmer and Player opened the Masters Tournament as honorary starters Thursday. They took turns with a ceremonial tee shot on No. 1.

What was going through the 85-year-old Palmer’s mind just before the shot?

“I said, ‘Don’t fan it.’ ”

“I don’t think he’s kidding,” Nicklaus added. “He said exactly the same thing to me.”

Four-time Masters winner Palmer took the first swing. Player and Nicklaus then followed. Player’s shot landed around the middle of the fairway and was longer than those of Palmer and Nicklaus.

The three friends are done playing the Masters, but the reminiscing and the joking haven’t stopped.

Player recalled a Palmer visit to South Africa. While down in a gold mine, Player said a man, using two hands, put a gold bar on a table. He said anyone who picks up the bar can have it.

“Arnie says, ‘Ask him if I can try,’ ” Player said. “I said, ‘I’ve got a friend here from America; can he try?’ He goes, ‘Sure.’ And Arnold goes (pretending to do an effortless lift) and picks it up, and these guy’s eyes went this big. He says, ‘I only work here.’ Arnold says, ‘You did work here.’ ”

“Part of that is he’s got deep pockets and short arms and never bought me a lunch,” Player said.

Palmer, barely an instant later: “You wouldn’t give the ducks a drink if you owned Lake Okeechobee.”

Palmer first played the Masters 60 years ago, the first of the Big Three to do so. Since that day, the men have combined for 13 wins, including seven in a row from 1960 to 1966.

Fifty years ago, they finished together, with Nicklaus winning and Palmer and Player tying for second. It was the only time the Big Three took the top three spots in Augusta.

“I remember it; the wrong man won,” Player said.

“I don’t remember anything,” Palmer said.

But there are many moments worth remembering, maybe even a new one such as Nicklaus’ hole-in-one on No. 4 during Wednesday’s Par-3 Contest, his first ace at Augusta.

“I’m trying to figure out what I’m doing at 75,” Nicklaus said. “Nine holes on the Par-3 yesterday darn near killed me.”

“He’s not going to get to 85,” Player chimed in.

“That would be a nice goal,” Nicklaus said.

The trio’s iconic status brought out defending champion Bubba Watson and Keegan Bradley on Thursday morning. Rickie Fowler, who wasn’t scheduled to tee off until 1:59 p.m. in the final group, was also there for the 7:40 a.m. honorary start.

“Words can’t express – you can have love for a woman and you can have love for a friend, and I think the greatest word that exists in any book of note is ‘love,’ and I think this is what we’ve had for each other,” Player said.