先日、ブックメーカーが公開している今年のマスターズ優勝者オッズを発表しました。その中で最もオッズの高い（つまり最も優勝から遠いであろう）ゲーリー・プレーヤーを応援して来年の観戦軍資金を稼ごう！と冗談交じりに書きました。
来年オーガスタに行けたとしても、プレーヤーは見られないようです。
1950年代から最前線で活躍し、マスターズを３度優勝（1961年、74、78）した「ブラック・ナイト」ことゲーリー・プレーヤー。先日の練習ラウンドを前に、今年が最後のマスターズ出場であることを発表しました。
photo: masters.com
常に次の世代の選手たちとの「架け橋」役を買って出ていたプレーヤー。アドバイスをするだけではなく、いい兄貴分として選手たちと同じ目線で会話をしていた、といろんな選手が話しているのを聞いたことがあります。アーノルド・パーマーがメディアの受けは良いが実際は少し距離を置くような存在だったなら、プレーヤーは誰もが親しみをもって話しかける人だったと。
どこかドライなヒューモアを持っていて、それを一切隠そうとしなかった。最後のマスターズを発表した記者会見での言葉は、プレーヤー語録に残ることでしょう。
■1962年、パーマーに破れて２位に終わった年のことを聞かれ
「2位に終わったことを覚えていてくれるのは、自分の奥さんと愛犬だけだよ。それも、いい奥さんといい愛犬だったらの話だぜ」
■マスターズを最後にする理由を聞かれ
「73歳で力を付けることは難しい。このコースは長くなり続けている。ほとんど全ホールで2打目をウッドで打ってる・・・距離が伸びているし、俺の体力も低下している。
「もうあまりに飛距離が出なさすぎて、打ったボールが着地するのが聞こえるんだよw」
■マスターズの栄誉である「始球式」をお願いされたら引き受けるかと聞かれ
「引き受けるかって？もちろんだよ。アーノルドより飛ばせるようにちゃんとトレーニングしてくるよ」
■最後になるであろう金曜日、18番グリーンにどのような気持ちで向かってくるかを聞かれ
「懐かしいと思うかな・・・ここでもらった愛情を。ようは、この大会のギャラリーからいただいた愛情を噛み締めてると思う。今からグズグズしないように自分に言い聞かせてるんだ。グズグズってどういうことか分かるか？泣きじゃくることだよ。そうだよ、俺は大の泣き虫なんだ」
飛距離は落ちたかもしれないけど、プレーヤーの人を引きつける笑顔と魅力はちっとも変わっていないようですね。
最後の勇姿を目に焼き付けようと思います。
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