interview: the big three Rolex grand slam magazine 66 T hey are living legends! Notching up an incredible 34 Major victories in total, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player reached the hearts of millions of people and turned golf into what it is today. “The Big Three” talk about their Grand Slam experiences. Gary Player The 79-year-old golfer from South Africa won nine Major tournaments. You can look back at victories in 165 tournaments worldwide, including nine Major Championships and a personal career Grand Slam. In your opinion, how much of a professional sportsman’s success is due to hard work and how much depends on individual talent? One of my favourite sayings is “The harder you practise, the luckier you get.” I believe this completely. Sure, talent is important, but a talented golfer can’t compete at the highest level without an unwavering dedication to hard work. I definitely wasn’t the most talented golfer, but I made the decision to work harder and practise more than anyone else. That’s how I became one of the greatest golfers in the world. That’s how I attained my career Grand Slam. You are not only one of the best golfers in history, but also a horseman, breeding racing horses at your own stud farm. What is it with horses that you find so fascinating? Ever since I was a little boy, I have been captivated by horses. Watching cowboys riding their horses across the television screen started our long relationship. Now, my favourite place in the world is my stud farm in South Africa. My golfing career and my life at the stud farm are more interconnected than you may think. Without golf, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to breed thoroughbred racehorses. My farm, on the other hand, has given me peace of mind off the golf course. My horses allowed me to recharge my batteries when I needed it most. I love the quote by Winston Churchill, “There is something about the outside of a horse, that's good for the inside of a man.” The Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping is in its third year now and the equestrian world can’t wait for the first rider to win it. You are one of only five golfers who were able to complete a Grand Slam. How did this triumph change your career? What can the first winner of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping look forward to? I achieved the career Grand Slam at the age of 29 and I almost can’t believe that this year will be the 50th anniversary of it. The Majors are the ultimate test in golf. It doesn’t matter if you are ranked first in the world or fiftieth, winning a Major will define your career. A s for the first winner of the Rolex Grand Slam, that sportsman or sportswoman has the opportunity to set an entirely new record. The winner will revolutionise the sport and be counted among equestrian sport’s greats. Those who win the Rolex Grand Slam will set the bar, and competitors will look up to them and see their achievement as a goal to emulate. To be able to set such records is truly a blessing, and I urge the first Rolex Grand Slam winner to always remember to be grateful. Also, and I can’t say this enough, practise, practise, practise, and believe that you are going to be victorious. Arnold Palmer The 85-year-old from the USA carried off seven Major tournaments during his active career. You were the first real superstar of golf: “Athlete of the Decade”, seven Major titles, first professional golfer to collect more than one million dollars in prize money, admired by millions of fans. What was the most memorable moment in your golfing career? When I won the Amateur at the Country Club of Detroit in 1954, I felt certain that I was a good enough player to be successful on the PGA Tour. That proved to be the turning point of my career and my life. Within the next year, I met and married my wife, W innie, turned professional, joined the tour and won my first victory. Four of your seven Major wins were at the Masters Tournament, the only Major which is held each year at the same place: Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia. Can you describe the ambience there? It’s a place that defies duplication. How can you match that slow drive down Magnolia Lane to the clubhouse, the superior condition and maintenance of the golf course and the consistency of the greens. The membership comprises wonderful people, the management is outstanding and the tradition has been carried on over the years.
Rolex Grand Slam magazine Number 3
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