Gary Player suing his son and grandson over memorabilia dispute

Gary Player is pursuing legal action against his own family members, according to a report from The Palm Beach Post.

The nine-time major winner is suing his son and grandson for allegedly selling or attempting to sell a number of memorabilia items despite an agreement that the items be returned to Player. Player filed a legal complaint in Palm Beach County against his son, Marc, followed by a November suit against his grandson, Damian, the report says.

“Only with the greatest reluctance and after many years of trying to avoid this did Gary have to enforce his rights in this way,” Player’s attorney, Stuart Singer, told The Palm Beach Post.

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The items being illegally sold or solicited for sale include “memorabilia held in 19 lockers at a South Carolina storage facility,” and multiple Rolex watches for “a significant amount of money.”

In 2021, items such as the Black Knight’s 1974 Master’s trophy, his South African Open trophy, his 1965 U.S. Open irons, and shoes worn by Player in his 52nd Masters appearance were sold against Player’s wishes.

In August, Player released a statement on the unauthorized sale of his trophies and memorabilia.

“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 my son and ex-manager, Marc,” the 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.”

The suit also claims Marc failed to transfer the web domain GaryPlayer.com and control of social media accounts to his father. Marc worked for nearly two decades as his father’s manager, but Player severed professional ties with his son in 2019.

This is not the first time there has been drama among the Player family in recent years. In 2019, Player’s son, Wayne, was arrested and charged with account fraud after renting a house for clients during the 2018 Masters. Two years later, Wayne was banned from Augusta National after a guerrilla marketing attempt during the honorary starter ceremony recognizing Lee Elder.

According to The Palm Beach Post, a judge granted a temporary injunction against Marc and anyone working with him from selling any items for the time being. It also ordered that all profits from previous sales of Player’s memorabilia be put in a trust. The injunction also temporarily prohibits Marc from using his father’s name, image and likeness on social media accounts.