Gary Player is a nine-time major winner and one of the greatest golfers of all time but even he had to save his best for last in terms of those major wins.
After winning The Open in 1959, Player then went on to win six more majors in the 60s, before adding a second green jacket by winning the 1974 Masters.
Many thought he might be past his sell-by date with that 74 win and that realistically, another major was out of reach.
However, not to be deterred, Player kept giving it a go and when it came to the Masters at Augusta National in 1978, he would win a ninth major in the most dramatic of fashion.
Gary Player’s stunning comeback win at the 1978 Masters
Golf is hard enough anyway and to win a tournament takes some good play as well as a bit of good fortune and sometimes, others failing.
For Gary Player, the 1978 Masters looked to be nowhere near in his grasp through three rounds.
Player started well enough and was even par, four off the leaders after round one but after day two, he’d dropped well off the pace and outside the top 20.
Still, a third round 69 gave Player something to at least build on, albeit he went into the final day some seven shots behind the leader, Hubert Green.
What happened then, though, is pretty remarkable.
From nowhere, Player produced one of the rounds of his life to shoot a 64 and claw into Green’s lead as the holes ticked away. Green himself was playing ok, and went round in 72 to put himself at -10 for the tournament.
However, Player’s form was simply stunning and after getting to the clubhouse at -11, he waited for Green and the others to finish up.
To top things off, Green then missed a putt from inside three feet on the final hole, with suggestions of a distraction from a radio team being the reason.
Nevertheless, it mattered little and it was South African star Player who triumphed, winning a ninth and final major title.
Gary Player’s final round at The 1978 Masters among the lowest ever
Going around Augusta National at eight under par is some achievement but to do it in the final round when the challenge of trying to claw the leaders back in is even more impressive.
Player’s 64 on the Sunday was one of the very best rounds ever seen at Augusta.
In fact, the lowest round ever recorded at Augusta in the Masters are Nick Price and Greg Norman’s rounds of 63.
However, Norman’s was in the opening round in 1996 and Price’s in the third round in 1986.
That makes Player’s effort here all the more impressive and frankly, something we may never see again.