CBS Sports will pay tribute to the iconic Big Three of Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player with an hour-long special airing Saturday of the Masters Tournament, April 12, from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. ET—a tribute that will chronicle their stunning and stirring legacy at Augusta National.
Nicklaus, Palmer and Player and were each great stars, but together they were “The Big Three.” They were great friends and fierce rivals, and it was at the Masters where, arguably, they enjoyed their greatest successes.
From 1957 to 1966, Arnold Palmer put together a run that saw him win four green jackets, finish second twice, third once, and never finish out of the top 10. Gary Player was the first international champion, posting victories in 1961, 1974, and 1978. He holds the record with 52 tournament appearances—almost the equivalent of a full year of his life spent competing at the Masters.
The Golden Bear then set the bar. Nicklaus won a remarkable six Green Jackets and along the way he rewrote the Masters’ record book. His final win at the age of 46 will be remembered for decades and generations to come.
Today Palmer, Player and Nicklaus are part of the very fabric of the Masters. They play together in the Masters Par-3 Contest and serve as honorary starters. Their impact on the tournament is immeasurable and certainly unforgettable: Palmer took the Masters to the masses; Gary Player took the Masters to the world; and Jack Nicklaus took the Masters to new standards of excellence.
The Big Three At The Masters, which is produced, directed and written by two-time Emmy Award-winner Mickey Holden, features in-depth interviews with Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus, as well as current stars and past champions such as Phil Mickelson, Zach Johnson and Trevor Immelman.
