Masters 2026: Nicklaus, Player and Watson hit their ceremonial tee shots, then speak their minds about golf
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AUGUSTA, Ga. — The honorary starters hit their opening tee shots Thursday morning to begin the 90th Masters Tournament—and then took a few more shots when they fielded questions in the interview room at Augusta National.
On a clear and chilly morning, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tom Watson, who together own 11 green jackets, once again kicked off the year’s first men’s major—with Player, 90, showing off with a high leg kick after hitting the first tee ball—and then kicked up a little dust. Watson, in particular, was frank in offering the opinion that he does not agree with the PGA Tour allowing LIV golfers Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed to have their memberships restored and would “ban them for life.”
“The tour made a decision to renege on what they promised when the players left for LIV,” Watson, 76, said. “They felt that the compensation that he's paid [$5 million to charity] is good enough. I thought the LIV players, when they left, they were supposed to be banned for life. If I was commissioner, that's what I would do. I'd say if you're finished with your contract with LIV Golf, if you want to play the PGA Tour again, you come back, and you must play the Korn Ferry Tour for a year to qualify for it. They saw it differently.
“When the players left, they violated the No. 1 rule that we really had out here, which is to protect the sponsors,” Watson continued. “Sponsors need players. They need the names to be able to promote their tournaments. If the players play wherever they want to play without a conflicting event rule, where you had to seek the permission of the PGA Tour to play in a tournament opposite of a PGA Tour tournament, the sponsors would be hurt by that. I think we all understood that. When the players left for LIV, I think it was basically over. They chose to go for the money, which is fine, but to return to the tour, I thought, was a nonstarter. But, apparently, it's not.” More Masters stories 
After Player hit his drive down the middle, Nicklaus, 86 years old, stepped up, aided by his son Jackie, who teed up the ball for him. “Oh, boy. Watch out,” Jack said before addressing the ball. “And I don’t mean that facetiously.”
He proceeded to hit a pull that went over the heads of the patrons on the left.
“You didn’t take a practice swing. That was the problem,” Watson said to him before executing his familiar rhythmic swing to complete the ceremony.
“I forgot,” Jack said, mocking himself in jest.
Actually, Nicklaus had undergone carpal tunnel surgery on both hands six weeks ago and hadn't swung a golf club much. "I was worried about being able to hold onto the golf club and hurt somebody. That was my issue today," he said. "I'm fortunate that I got it over somebody's head. I didn't hit it very well, but I got it over their heads and didn't hurt anybody."
It did not go unnoticed that Nicklaus was wearing a yellow sweater. Forty years ago, when he won his sixth green jacket at age 46, he had purposely worn a yellow shirt in tribute to a young fan.
“Absolutely No. 1,” Nicklaus replied when asked where the 1986 Masters ranks in his career. “Obviously, people ask what was your favorite win? I love them all, but obviously ’86 was the one that I wasn't expected to win. I was over the hill and the whole routine, and I won. So that was very special. It happened to be the most special to me, absolutely. How does it go with everybody? Tom's got his special win, and I'm sure that Gary has his special win, and I'm sure Arnold [Palmer] had his special win.”
It was likely inevitable that the three legends would be asked about the golf ball. Masters chairman Fred Ridley on Wednesday reiterated that Augusta National supported the efforts of the USGA and R&A to roll back the distance on the ball. All three are in favor. Player went over the top in his assessment of what the governing bodies should do.
“I believe the ball should be cut back 60 yards, only for professional golf. Leave everyone to golf as it is,” Player said. “They're the heart of the game, but professional golf is not. With regard to professional golf, cut the ball back 60 yards. It's a tragedy.”
Nicklaus, who has been vocal for decades about the need to control distance, was skeptical that enough could be done. “The golf ball needs to be reined in. What they're doing right now is throwing a deck chair off the Titanic, and it's not getting enough done,” the Golden Bear said. “It needs to really come back. My feeling is that they're never going to bring it back to the level they need to bring it back to.”MORE FROM GOLF DIGEST @ THE MASTERS
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