Elder, Lee,
1934-2021, American professional golfer, b. Dallas, Tx., as Robert Lee
Elder. Elder broke many racial barriers in professional golf as the first
Black golfer to play in the Masters in 1975. After caddying at all-white
country clubs in Dallas and Los Angeles, Elder toured with the United
Golfers Association, the only professional organization open to Black
golfers at the time, beginning in 1961, eventually winning 18 out of 22
consecutive tournaments. He first played on the PGA tour in 1968, and then
played in South Africa's Open and PGA championships in 1971, the first time
this tournament was integrated. In 1979, he was a member of the champion
U.S. Ryder Cup team. Through his career, he played at the Masters a total of
six times. He joined the PGA Senior Tour in 1984, winning eight times. Among
his awards and honors was the United States Golf Association's Bob Jones
Award (2019). He was also the first Black golfer to be invited to be an
honorary starter at the Masters (2021). In 1974, he established with his
then-wife the Lee Elder Scholarship Fund to aid low-income students to
attend college.
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