Gary Player, age 80, is in better shape than you
AUGUSTA, Ga.—It’s a tradition as timeless and persistent at the Masters as the scent of the azaleas: Gary Player, now in his ninth decade, shaming us all with his tales of phyiscal prowess.
“I say this without boasting, it’s just a fact: very few 30-year-olds can beat me in the gym,” Player told Yahoo Sports shortly after his traditional Masters-opening ceremonial tee shot.
Spend more than 30 seconds around Player and he’ll launch into one of his characteristic monologues on the importance of exercise and a positive attitude. He’s part motivational speaker, part faith healer, part evangelist for the cult of Growing Old Out Loud.
“I work out as hard at 80 as I did at 20,” Player said. “As you age, your body starts to fade away, in spite of exercise. I want to remain vibrant. I want to remain productive. I always say, ‘retirement is a death warrant.'”
Player’s regimen, which he pursues up to four times a week despite constant worldwide travel, includes a “top-to-bottom” workout, he says, which includes 1,300 crunches and sit-ups and leg weights of up to 400 pounds, plus a full-speed run. Again: the man is 80 years old, and won the first of his three green jackets 55 years ago.
Player, who owns nine total majors and had quite the Masters to remember so far. He recorded an ace at Wednesday’s Par-3 contest:
On Thursday morning, he outdrove Jack Nicklaus to kick off the Masters. “He outdrove me for 50 years,” Player later laughed. “About time I did it to him.”
____
Jay Busbee is a writer for Yahoo Sports and the author of EARNHARDT NATION. Contact him at [email protected] or find him on Twitter or on Facebook.
