Thursday 6 April 2017 21:03, UK
The 81st Masters got underway amid emotional scenes on the first tee as Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player teed off in front of an empty chair with Arnold Palmer's Green Jacket draped over it.
Nicklaus and Player arrived for their ceremonial drives at 7:40am along with Augusta National chairman Billy Payne, who was accompanied by Palmer's widow, Kit.
The tee was surrounded by hundreds of spectators and players, including Rickie Fowler, with most wearing commemorative "Arnie's Army" badges that are being handed out to everybody in attendance this week.
Mr Payne opened the ceremony by paying an emotional tribute to Palmer, who made his first Masters appearance in 1954 and won the title four times.
Ahead of the first Masters since Palmer passed away on the eve of the Ryder Cup last year, Mr Payne said: "Welcome one more time to Arnie's Army. This is a wonderful, but in one respect, a difficult day.
"For the first time in many many decades someone is obviously missing from the first tee. The almost unbearable sadness that we all feel by the passing of Arnold Palmer is only surpassed by the love and affection for him."
There was a moment of silence in memory of "The King" before Player and Nicklaus were introduced to strike the opening blows of this year's tournament.
Player, 81, and the 77-year-old Nicklaus both made excellent connection off the tee, with Nicklaus pipping the South African by around five yards, although Player was claiming "a tie".
The pair then headed to their annual Thursday press conference and shared their fondest memories of Palmer and their role as the "Big Three" - with 34 major championship wins between them.
Asked to explain Palmer's impact on the Masters, Nicklaus said: "Arnold came along and television was getting started. It was a time that the popularity of the game was really stimulated by Arnold.
"It was a time when the Masters was just sort of getting its feet wet with what's going on in the golfing world. Arnold was sort of the guy that made that popular and took the Masters from being a tournament to being one of the four biggest events in golf.
"I think it was Arnold who took it to that. So my feeling was that, yes, the Masters made Arnold in many ways because of his wins but the other way around, I think Arnold made the Masters. Arnold put the Masters on the map and with his rise and his popularity, the Masters rose the same. I think they were both very good for each other."
Player doubts if another "Big Three" will come along among the modern crop of players as he reflected on the special bond between the golfing greats.
"There will be other 'Big Threes,' but I don't know if you'll ever have another 'Big Three' that will live together like we did," Player said. "I was in Jack's home for weeks, and Arnold was in my home and Jack visited my farm time and time again. I was in their airplane.
"We really lived our life together, but will that happen again with three guys? Possibly, I don't know. It's hard to be highly competitive against people and have a great friendship, and yet I sit here today and Jack Nicklaus is my best friend in the world."
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