Gary Player considers Ben Hogan as the greatest golfer ever lived
South African golfing legend Gary Player considers Ben Hogan as the greatest golfer that has ever lived.
Speaking at a ceremony held in his honour as he received the Lifetime Achievement Award for the PGA Tour at TPC Sawgrass, Player reminisced about his stellar career and all the giant of the sport that he has played with.
Player said, “I still think Ben Hogan is the best player I ever saw in my life. Nobody hit the ball like Hogan. I played with Hogan in my first U.S. Open at Southern Hills in 1958. The rough was a foot high, never saw him miss the fairway. This is unbelievable”.
Player, part of the “Big Three” troika of Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus who open up the Masters early in the morning every year, holds Hogan head and shoulders above the rest of the lot and says with the latest equipment and technology at his disposal,
Hogan would have been miles ahead of the players of recent times.
He added, “Had you given him this equipment today, these metal head drivers, these grooves, this ball, these fairways, this prize money, et cetera, et cetera, it would be frightening to see just how good that man would have been”.
Born in Stephenville, Texas, in the year 1912, Hogan is generally considered as the greatest golfer of all times.
He is not only known for his meticulous drives but also had a profound influence on the game with his theories about swing and invincible ball-striking capabilities.
Winner of nine major events, Hogan’s professional career spanned from 1931 to 1971. Hogan won the difficult layout of US Open for a whooping four times apart from his two victories at the Augusta National.
Meanwhile, Player also hailed the ambassadors of golf with whom he had a chance to tee-off with in his stellar career.
He is the 10th player in the PGA Tour history to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award after Sarazen, Byron Nelson, Arnold Palmer, Sam Snead, Jack Burke Jr., Pete Dye, Deane Beman, Jack Nicklaus and President George H.W. Bush.
The ceremony was held at the sprawling clubhouse of TPC Sawgrass which will again be the venue of the Players championship, set to tee-off on Thursday, May 10.
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