Area students benefit from Ouimet Scholarship Program.

Byline: Jay Gearan

COLUMN: GOLFING SCENE

On most days, 72-year-old Gary Player rises before 6 a.m. and heads for the gym, beginning his vigorous workout with 1,600 sit-ups. Last week, Player took it easy. Only 1,000 sit-ups on Monday morning.

After all, the day before, he had flown thousands of miles from his home in South Africa to accept this year's Francis Ouimet Award for Lifelong Contributions to Golf.

Prior to the annual Ouimet Banquet, held at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, Mr. Player spoke to the media.

Up close, Player, dressed in a perfect-fitting black suit, is an impressive physical specimen, not tall, but trim, muscular and energetic. Indeed, he looks like a man much younger than his years. He frequently ties or betters his age in an 18-hole competitive round.

"I'm proud to say that I've been exercising nonstop for 63 years now," said Player, adding realistically, without a bragging tone, "At 72 years of age, there are very few 30-year-olds who will beat me in a fitness contest. It's a great feeling to have all this energy."

Player added that he was pleased with the way Tiger Woods has brought fitness into the world of golf. "I'm a big Tiger Woods fan. When I started weight training, the unanimous feeling was that you cannot lift weights and play good golf. That was a lot of hogwash. I've watched Tiger work out even during the mornings of the days he's playing in a tournament. Anybody who doesn't do that in the future will be left behind."

Player is never at a loss for words when it comes to talking about golf. Here are some of his additional comments from last week: "Ben Hogan was the best golfer I have ever seen in my life. He wasn't the best scorer, but he was the best golfer from tee to green. ... Your body is a holy temple and I want to inspire the young people to keep their bodies in shape. ... If I hadn't played golf, I certainly would have been a schoolteacher. ... If you put Jack Nicklaus in his prime alongside Tiger Woods and gave them the same equipment, they would both hit the ball the same distance."

In his long, illustrious career, Player has won 163 tournaments around the world. He has won nine major championships, and was the third to win the career grand slam after Gene Sarazen and Hogan. Including Player, only Sarazen, Hogan, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods have won the career grand slam.

As other honorees have done in the past, honoring their parents, Player asked that a permanent Ouimet scholarship be created in the names of his parents, Harry and Muriel Player.

His father, Harry, was a hard-working man, spending the majority of his working life 12,000 feet underground in the Robinson Deep and Crown gold mines near Johannesburg. Muriel Player died from cancer when Gary was only 8 years old, but her imprint has never been erased.

"My father never made more than 100 pounds a month in his life," said Player, who added about his mother, "sadly, she never saw me hit a golf ball. But, I was fortunate to take my Dad to this great country and he saw me win the Masters."

Mrs. Player died in 1943 and Mr. Player in 1978.

Player said that he recalled with great fondness meeting Francis Ouimet at the U.S. Open at the Country Club in Brookline in 1963. "He was such a gentleman," Player said. "It's really gratifying to see his legacy continued."

The Francis Ouimet Scholarship Fund will award a record $1.5 million in scholarships for the 2008-09 academic year. Founded in 1949, the Ouimet Fund has awarded close to $20 million in 59 years to more than 4,500 students.

Ouimet Scholars from the Montachusett area this year include Paul Gallo from Oak Hill Country Club in Fitchburg, Kim and John Novak from Monoosnock Country Club in Leominster, Alex Daley, Jason Tessari, Andrew Christmas, Edward Keith, Harris Schnare, Alex Daley from Stow Acres Country Club and Joe Catalano from the International Golf Club in Bolton.

All Ouimet Scholarship candidates must have performed at least two years service to golf as caddies, or as helpers in golf professional or course superintendent operations at any golf course in Massachusetts.

ART: PHOTO

CUTLINE: Golfing great Gary Player at the recent Francis Ouimet Scholarship Banquet.

PHOTOG: JAY GEARAN