AUGUSTA, Ga. — Jack Nicklaus lifted both hands into the Georgia air and said three words.
“I did it.”
And with that, the 88th Masters Tournament was underway.
The annual Honorary Starter ceremony was delayed two hours Thursday morning by weather, but at 10:10 a.m. local time, Nicklaus, along with Gary Player and Tom Watson, walked from the clubhouse to No. 1 tee.
First to hit was Player, who planted his tee in the ground and told his audience, “Not so easy to put the ball on a tee anymore.”
Nicklaus countered with, “Put mine in too.”
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After Player found the short grass, Jack took his turn.
“Watch out to the left and right,” Nicklaus said.
There was no need.
The six-time Masters winner striped his ball down the left side of No. 1, and then gave way to Tom Watson.
“Just one thing,” said Watson, as he prepared to strike his shot. “Jack, you’ve never hit a hook off this tee in your life.”
Nicklaus, laughing, said, “That was a neck pull.”
On hand for the ceremony were former PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem, and current head man Jay Monahan.
Also in attendance were past Masters champions Nick Faldo and Tommy Aaron, as well as CBS announcer Jim Nantz.
Nantz, who has covered the Masters since 1989, calls the annual tradition, “My favorite moment in golf.”
“It’s such a rich moment of nostalgia,” Nantz said. “It’s a passage of time. You look at these champions — these iconic figures who you looked up to so much in your youth. Every year, this ceremony is a moment of reflection.”