Gary Player sues over son and grandson over sale of memorabilia from golf career

One of golf's greatest names, Gary Player, right, is suing his own son, Marc, left, in a dispute over the sale of memorabilia ©Getty Images

A row over the sale of memorabilia has led to South Africa's nine-time major winner Gary Player suing his own son and grandson.

Last August, one of golf’s most iconic names had alleged on social media that his trophies and clubs were being sold without his permission at an event organised by Golden Age Golf Auctions.

"I would like to draw the public’s attention to the fact that several trophies and other pieces of memorabilia that form part of my legacy have been put up for auction by my son and ex-manager, Marc," the post read.

"These items belong to me, and I have taken action to recover them.

"I have placed no items for sale - whether by auction or otherwise."

Marc Player’s lawyer, Darren Heitner, has hit back by claiming the allegation are "baseless."

Marc added, "You cannot take back what no longer belongs to you."

Gary Player took to social media to allege that memorabilia from his glorious career was being sold without his permission ©Facebook

Sold at auctions against Gary Player's wishes were his 1974 Master's Tournament Trophy for $523,483 (£430,938/€487,861), his South African Open Trophy for $48,841 (£40,201/€45,512), his 1965 US Open irons for $17,947 (£14,770/€16,772) and his 52nd Masters' golf shoes for $1,171 (£963/€1,091), according to court filings.

Heitner claimed that in 2002, Marc Player worked with Christie's London to catalogue almost 300 items from his father.

This collection was sold eventually to South African billionaire Johann Rupert, with Marc receiving none of the earnings despite an agreement in which he would get half.

The remaining items Marc Player possessed "were validly gifted" to him by his parents and remain his.

Gary Player’s attorney Stuart Singer told the Palm Beach Post that Player was reluctant to take legal action.

But, according to the Palm Beach Post, the 87-year-old Player filed a lawsuit against Marc in May in Palm Beach County in Florida.

Marc's son, Damien, was listed in a separate suit filed in November.

"Only with the greatest reluctance and after many years of trying to avoid this did Gary have to enforce his rights in this way," Singer said.

Gary Player's winning trophy from the 1978 Masters was among the items sold at the auction ©Golden Age Golf Auctions

The lawsuit also claims Marc Player did not transfer social media accounts and the web domain name GaryPlayer.com to his father.

Heitner told the Palm Beach Post that he filed a response to the lawsuit claiming a settlement reached in 2021 is invalid because the property rights are owned by a trust.

In 2020, Gary Player won a $5 million (£4 million/€4.7 million) lawsuit from unpaid royalties from a five-year period between 2014 and 2018 from the Gary Player Group, run by Marc Player, one of his six children.

Along with the pay out, Player received the rights to his name and likeness back from the company.

At the age of 29, Player won the 1965 U.S. Open and became the only non-American to win all four majors in a career.

At the time, he was the youngest player to do this, though Americans Jack Nicklaus, at 26, and Tiger Woods, at 24, subsequently broke this record.

Player became only the third golfer in history to win the career grand slam, following Americans Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen, and only Nicklaus and Woods have performed the feat since.