The Masters will be the favorite Major of many golf fans but three-time Green Jacket winner and Masters honorary starter Gary Player has put it bottom in his rankings of the four men's Majors.
In a wide-ranging interview with the Daily Mail's chief sports feature writer Riath Al-Samarrai, Player claimed that the Open Championship is "by far the greatest tournament on the planet", only ahead of the US Open - which he won once in 1965 at Bellerive Country Club in Missouri. He then placed the PGA Championship third and The Masters, the youngest of the four Majors, in fourth.
“But, never mind the Masters, the Open is by far the greatest tournament on the planet,” Player told the Daily Mail.
“I rate the Open at one, the US Open two, PGA three and Augusta four; Four marvelous tournaments.”
“[The Masters is] the youngest of the Majors. The others are steeped in tradition and history and they still have to catch up. Nothing comes to the top without time.”
Player has won nine Majors, with three Claret Jugs, three Masters titles, two PGA Championships and one US Open. His first Major win came at the 1959 Open at Muirfield and he would win the Open again in 1968 at Carnoustie and in 1974 at Royal Lytham and St Annes. He first won The Masters in 1961, where he became the first non-American to triumph at Augusta National.
Ahead of this year's highly anticipated Masters, where PGA Tour stars will go up against LIV Golf players for the first time since July's 150th Open, Player is picking Rory McIlroy to finally slip on the Green Jacket and complete the career grand slam.
"He’s got the best swing in the world by a mile," Player said. "He’s won four Majors but none since 2014. I think he will win the Masters because the course is made for him. I think if he does that, he’ll go down as one of the greats, but that’s something he has to do.
"I’ve always said my judgment of superstars is they have to win six Majors. People these days say anyone who wins is a superstar. No. It’s not easily done, but I believe Rory can."
Rory McIlroy currently ranks 2nd in the world following his 3rd-place finish at the WGC-Match Play. He heads to Augusta next week after his best ever Masters finish of 2nd last year, where he holed a bunker shot on the 72nd green to shoot a final round of 64. The Northern Irishman will be making his 15th Masters start this year.
