We have gained another distinguished member in the pantheon of sporting greats. On November 28, 2021, golf trailblazer Lee Elder passed away at the age of 87, as announced by the PGA Tour. [ESPN]

Born July 14, 1934, in Dallas, Texas, Elder grew up facing the early loss of both parents and being raised largely by his older sister. [History.com] He found his way to golf first as a caddie at the segregated Tenison Park Golf Club, where he quietly honed his swing under the mentorship of one of the club’s white-golf-pro instructors. [National Links Trust]

Driven by necessity and ambition, Elder joined the all-Black United Golfers Association (UGA) in 1959, dominating on that circuit: he won four Negro National Open Championships and, in the remarkable year of 1966, he captured 18 of the 22 tournaments he entered. [Golf Business Weekly] From those winnings, he funded the $6,500 entry cost for the 1967 qualifying school for the PGA Tour. [National Links Trust]

Elder’s professional breakthrough came when he won the 1974 Monsanto Open. That victory earned him an invitation to the prestigious Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia — making him the first African‐American golfer to compete in that tournament. He teed off on April 10, 1975, establishing a lasting legacy. [History.com; PBS NewsHour]

Although he missed the cut after rounds of 74 and 78, his presence on the hallowed fairways of Augusta in a tournament long defined by exclusion was itself historic. [History.com] In the years following, he would compete in five more Masters and play in 34 major championships in total, achieving seven top-25 finishes. [Golf Digest]

In addition to his Masters appearance, Elder captured four PGA Tour titles — including the 1976 Houston Open and the 1978 Greater Milwaukee Open — and made history again in 1979 as the first Black American selected for the U.S. Ryder Cup team. [National Links Trust]

Elder’s impact extended far beyond his golf statistics. He endured discrimination, hostile crowds, and even death threats as he broke racial barriers in a sport that had for decades been virtually inaccessible to Black competitors. [Golf Business Weekly] His quiet dignity and perseverance inspired generations—most notably Tiger Woods, who acknowledged Elder as one of the pioneers paving his way. [The Guardian]

Off the green, Elder committed himself to scholarship and service. He established the Lee Elder Scholarship Fund for students from low-income families. He served on the board of Goodwill and supported the United Negro College Fund. In 2020, Augusta National announced a women’s golf program at Paine College and created Lee Elder Scholarships there in his name. [National Links Trust]

In April 2021 — on the 50th anniversary of his pioneering 1975 Masters debut — Elder returned to Augusta as an honorary starter, lining up alongside legends such as Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player. Though medically fragile and unable to swing a club that day, he was saluted by the crowd for his contribution to the game. [ESPN; PBS NewsHour]

His departure at 87 leaves a void, but his legacy remains immutable: Lee Elder transformed an invitation into an enduring symbol of equity and opportunity in golf. Future champions will step on his shoulders.