Player is ready to hit ceremonial tee shots with Palmer and Nicklaus

When Gary Player joins Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer on the first tee Thursday morning, he’ll resume his friendly rivalry.

The Big Three will be reunited as honorary starters at 7:40 a.m. for the kickoff to the Masters Tournament. When Player tees off, he’ll have one thing in mind – trying to hit the best tee shot of the trio.

“I’ve been training very hard,” Player said. “I’ve just come from the gym right now, in fact. I increased my sit-ups and my weights. Absolutely. We’ve been very competitive.”

Three-time Masters champion Player, 76, held court Tuesday at his pretournament news conference. He talked about his current golf game – he breaks his age by five shots regularly – and discussed the past, such as when he asked Bobby Jones how to birdie the third hole at Augusta National Golf Club.

“You’re not supposed to birdie it,” Jones told him. “You’re supposed to par it.”

Player also addressed the hot-button issue of long putters. He said he would ban anything anchored to the body, because controlling nerves is an integral part of the game.

“Look at Tiger Woods, how he plays under pressure… ,” Player said. “That’s what impresses me about Jack Nicklaus and how he played under pressure. And to control your mind and control your nerves; we just continuously make it easier and easier.”

Before they tee off together Thursday, Pal­mer, Nicklaus and Player will play in Wednes­day’s Par-3 Contest and give fans a nine-hole glimpse of three of the game’s greats.

“You know, whoever thought of that idea, was very smart. Because the people, again, you’ve got to entertain the people,” Player said. “Without the people, you don’t have this tournament. They just love it.”