Gary Player, the iconic golfer and three-time Masters victor, was involved in a regrettable event during the 2021 opening of the prestigious tournament which saw his son receive a lifetime ban from Augusta National. At 89 years old, Player, who has been delighting crowds as an honorary starter since 2012, teed off at Thursday's ceremony with his characteristic zeal. Yet, the ceremony was overshadowed by his son Wayne, serving as his caddie, who detracted from Lee Elder's moment when he conspicuously showcased a box of OnCore golf balls – a brand endorsing Gary Player. The manoeuvre did not go unnoticed by fans and officials at Augusta National, leading to Wayne's immediate removal from the event and a ban from future tournaments. Augusta National refrained from publicly addressing the occurrence or the measures taken against Wayne Player. During a revealing interview with Golf Digest in 2022, Wayne shed light on the notorious episode: "Well, they say there's no such thing as bad publicity. I found out that that's not quite true." "I had probably 50 texts after that, 40 of them said I'm a marketing genius, 10 were like, 'What the hell were you thinking?' It wasn't premeditated, but it was a tacky thing," reports the Express. Wayne candidly discussed the discreet approach taken by the Green Jackets in dealing with his situation, mentioning: "I don't mind letting people know. To be completely transparent, I think it is a cool story because, you know, the National never really came out formally and said: 'Oh, we're not allowing Wayne Player to come back to the Masters.' They never ever said that to the media. That's just the way they do it. They don't say much." In an attempt to seek absolution, Wayne penned a letter, yet acknowledged the permanence of his exclusion from The Masters, summarising the club's uncompromising response which ultimately stated: "It said thanks but no thanks," highlighting their acknowledgment of his apology but also their unyielding decision: "It said, you know, we appreciate you reaching out and apologizing, we accept your apology, but we are not changing our position, we are not going to allow you back. You ruined a special moment in the history of the game of golf."