Elder Knew That Woods Was Ticketed for Glory

Lee Elder was doing 85 mph Sunday morning on the eastbound I-20 when a Georgia cop pulled him over.

Rolling down his window, Elder produced his Florida driver’s license. The speed limit is 70 here, the cop said. Isn’t that high enough? What’s your hurry?

“I’ve got to get to the Masters,” Elder told him. “I have to see Tiger Woods.”

The cop said uh-huh, and wrote the speeding ticket.

“He didn’t buy it,” Elder said, amid the oak trees and wisteria near the Augusta National golf course’s clubhouse Sunday afternoon, while waiting for Woods to tee off.

Wearing a black Masters cap and a red badge that read “Trophy Room” with his name on it, Elder, 62, who in 1975 became the first black golfer to participate in this tournament, said he had been looking forward to a triumphant moment such as Tiger’s for a long, long time.

“I always felt I would return to Augusta for this occasion,” Elder said. “Not necessarily for this young man in particular. But I knew that somewhere down the line, this day would come.

“This is a happy and glorious day for all blacks, for all of us, in all walks of life.”

Elder qualified to play at Augusta by winning the 1974 Monsanto Open. His history-making appearance was the subject of great attention at the time.

He has saved racist mail for more than 20 years, Elder said, as a constant reminder of how things were.

Having shot 74-78 here, missing the cut, Elder was asked what response a Tiger Woods would have received here in 1975 with an actual chance to win the tournament.

“They probably would have needed armed guards for the first tee,” Elder remarked.

“They almost do today,” someone said, gesturing toward the huge crowd at the first tee.

“Yes, but not for the same reason,” Elder said.

Altogether, he played in six Masters tournaments, winning a total of $11,300. He last visited Augusta as a spectator in 1995, which coincided with Woods’ first appearance here as an amateur.

He called out a hello to Woods that day near the first tee. Tiger didn’t recognize him.

Elder lives in Pompano Beach, Fla., and plays on the PGA Senior Tour. He was so excited about Woods that he couldn’t fall asleep until 3 a.m. before catching a dawn flight from Fort Lauderdale to Atlanta. There, he rented a car, which he drove two hours to Augusta . . . with one unscheduled stop.

With a speeding ticket as a souvenir, Elder made it to Augusta National in time for Tiger’s 3:08 p.m. EDT tee-off.

“If you’ll excuse me,” Elder said, looking at his wristwatch, “can I go wish him luck now?”