Lee Elder, the first black player to participate in the "Masters Tournament" of the major tournament in American men's golf, has passed away.
I was 87 years old.
Originally from Southern Texas, Lee Elder started his golf career as a caddy and made his first 18-hole round at the age of 16.
At that time, black golf players were treated discriminatory, such as not being allowed to participate in big tournaments, but after winning the tour for the first time in 1974, Elder won the "Masters Tournament" the following year. I was invited to the Tournament for the first time as a black player.
Although the result was a failure in the qualifying, Elder's participation in the Masters paved the way for many black players such as Tiger Woods to play an active part in the major tournament.
According to the PGA Tour, which hosts the American Tour of Men's Golf, Elder died on the 28th at the age of 87.
Jack Nicklaus, who won the most six wins in the Masters, posted on his Twitter account that "the golf world has lost a hero named Lee Elder" and mourned his death.