Player v Player over golf legend’s memorabilia

Golfing legend Gary Player is taking action to recover trophies and memorabilia that were put up for auction by his son, Marc. News24 reports that the nine-time major winner said the items were placed on auction without his authorisation. ‘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 Marc,’ Player's statement said. ‘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.’ In 2020, the 86-year-old received a settlement fee of $5m after entering into an arbitration dispute with the Gary Player Group – his company operated by Marc – over ownership and naming rights.

Marc, through his lawyer Darren Heitner, responded that his father's claim to the unidentified items are ‘baseless’ and ‘smacks of a continued petty effort by Gary's advisers to besmirch Marc's name and reputation wherever possible’.  A second News24 report notes that he details his extensive efforts back in 2002 cataloguing over 300 items in conjunction with Christie's London from Gary's career. ‘Many of these items were scattered around the world or not actually won by Gary Player but commissioned by Marc Player from artists or purchased from various other collectors,’ the statement read. It is further alleged that this collection was then sold to business heavyweight Johann Rupert because Gary couldn't repay millions in outstanding taxes owed to SARS. Legalbrief reports that Player also had a fallout with his son, Wayne, who promoted a sleeve of golf balls at a 2020 Augusta ceremony to salute Lee Elders, the first black golfer who was allowed to play at The Masters.