Lee Elder, the first Black golfer to play at the Masters, died peacefully in his sleep in Atlanta on Tuesday at the age of 87.
Elder had become the first Black golfer to play at Augusta National in 1969 and was invited to return in 1977. He shot rounds of 71 and 73 in both appearances but never finished inside the top 20 and was unable to defend his Masters title.
His grandson, Mike, confirmed Elder’s death to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and Atlanta’s WXIA-TV quoted the elder Elder as saying it was hard to accept his passing but he was happy to be remembered for his accomplishments.
Lee Elder played his last match in 1993. Photograph: Bob Robson/Getty Images
“You’ll always be remembered,” he told the station. “I can remember anything I’ve done. I look at a book of people who are still here and you’ll be remembered and they might be younger, but you’ll be remembered.”
Dale Adams, a former Augusta National member, told the Augusta Chronicle: “He was a gentleman golfer, just like he described himself. He also had a great sense of humour. I had a lot of fun with him. He was a quality gentleman, very elegant, and he always believed he could be at Augusta National.”