The great Gary Player, nine-times a Major winner, was as well known for his sartorial elegance in his era as Tiger Woods was for his red sweater on the final day of tournaments in his.
But the South African star, still going strong today at 88, was always known as the man in black, which makes this cover shot from Golf Monthly in July 1978 particularly unusual, Player decked out all in white.
He was coming into the British Open having already won the Masters in Augusta earlier that year, though that was to be his final major title in fact. Looking ahead to the St Andrews Open, Golf Monthly assessed the runners and riders before coming to the conclusion that it was Jack Nicklaus who was the man to beat and that he would recover from the ‘duel in the sun’ at Turnberry the previous year to collect the claret jug for a third time.
They knew what they were talking about as it turned out…
You can read more from a fascinating 1978 British Open preview here.
