Lee Elder

Inducted in 2025

A native of Dallas, Texas, Lee Elder became a caddie at Tennison Park Golf Course at age 9 and continued as a teenager after moving to Los Angeles. His caddying experiences helped him learn and develop a passion for the game. After serving in the U.S. Army, he joined the United Golf Association Tour in 1961 and found incredible success, winning 18 of 22 tournaments during a dominant stretch.

Elder earned his PGA TOUR card in 1968 and notched his first victory at the Monsanto Open in 1974 – this win earned him an invitation to the Masters, and on April 10, 1975, Elder made history as the first Black golfer to play in the Masters. He also became the first Black golfer to make a Ryder Cup team in 1979.

During his professional career, he tallied four PGA TOUR and eight PGA TOUR Champions wins. In 2021, he returned to the Masters as an Honorary Starter.

In recognition of his trailblazing contributions to the game of golf and society through caddying and using caddying as a steppingstone to professional success, Lee Elder was posthumously inducted to the Caddie Hall of Fame in 2025, 50 years after he became the first Black golf professional to play in the Masters.