Jack Nicklaus cracks up patrons with three-word declaration after opening Masters

Legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus expressed his sheer delight at making contact with the ball after he got the 2024 Masters underway.

Jack Nicklaus
Jack Nicklaus

Legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus cracked up patrons by expressing his sheer delight he managed to make contact with the golf ball as he got the 2024 Masters underway. 

Six-time Masters winner Nicklaus is now 84 years old and he was made to wait for the cherished tradition. 

Ordinarily you'd have to get up pretty early to bear witness to one of the great Masters traditions.

But Nicklaus and his fellow honorary starters Tom Watson and Gary Player were made to wait to hit their drives down No. 1 at Augusta National because of a storm delay. 

Nicklaus, Watson and Player all hit the fairway. 

After finding the short stuff once again, Nicklaus yelled: "I hit it!"

He was also similarly delighted after managing to get his tee into the ground. 

Player celebrated his drive with his traditional leg kick. 

Watch the 2024 Masters get underway here:

 

 

A history of the tradition...

The tradition of having honorary starters hit the first tee shots began in 1963. 

Here is a list of the golfers and their year(s) serving the role...

  • Jock Hutchison, 1963–1973

  • Fred McLeod, 1963–1976

  • Byron Nelson, 1981-2001 (nonconsecutive)

  • Gene Sarazen, 1981–1999

  • Ken Venturi, 1983

  • Sam Snead, 1984–2002

  • Arnold Palmer, 2007–2016

  • Jack Nicklaus, 2010–present

  • Gary Player, 2012–present

  • Lee Elder, 2021

  • Tom Watson, 2022–present

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