Lee Elder has died at the age of 87. He was the first African-American to participate in the Augusta Masters. He also won four tournaments on the PGA Tour during his career and won a Ryder Cup in 1979.

Source: © Twitter - @GolfCentral

Source: © Twitter - @ GolfCentral

Lee Elder passed away at the age of 87. He was the first African-American to walk the fairways of Augusta National. He was invited to play golf in Georgia for the first time in 1975, thanks to a victory at the 1974 Mosanto Open. Elder will have played six times in the Masters.

Lee Elder entered the PGA Tour in 1968. After securing enough money to enroll in the 1967 Qualifying School, he brilliantly secured his entry ticket to the PGA Tour by finishing 9th out of 122 players.

He will have for the first time been part of the champions team giving the start of the Masters in 2021. Lee Elder hit the drive of hole number 1 on Thursday morning with Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, taking the place of the late Arnold Palmer.

Many athletes have paid tribute to Lee Elder, one of the pioneers in the fight against racism in sport. Stephen Curry, a brilliant golf player outside the NBA, highlighted the qualities of this former champion and the fight he led for the black community in golf.

Indeed, the PGA Tour did not allow African Americans to play tournaments sanctioned by the circuit. The PGA Tour included in its statutes “Caucasian Only” as a rule of participation in tournaments. This clause was not removed until 1961.

The conditions of play and the behavior of the spectators never stop the will of Lee Elder. Despite the hateful emails and calls, as well as the inappropriate behavior of the fans, this champion will have continued to fight, whether during or after his career. For example, with the help of his wife, he created a monetary fund to allow young students to access university. He also spoke out against country clubs that did not allow a black person to join.

By Baptiste Laurensou.