0 9 , ▁Pal mer ▁was ▁the ▁sole ▁honor ary ▁st arter . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁long time ▁friend ▁and ▁compet itor ▁Jack ▁Nick laus ▁was ▁appointed ▁by ▁August a ▁National ▁to ▁join ▁Pal mer . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁golf ' s ▁The ▁Big ▁Three ▁reun ited ▁as ▁South ▁African ▁gol fer ▁Gary ▁Player ▁joined ▁for ▁the ▁cer emon ial ▁te e ▁sh ots ▁as ▁honor ary ▁star ters ▁for ▁the ▁ 7 6 th ▁playing ▁of ▁the ▁Masters ▁Tournament . ▁In ▁describing ▁the ▁effect ▁that ▁Pal mer ▁had ▁on ▁the ▁sport , ▁bi ograph er ▁James ▁D od son ▁stated : ▁ ▁Personal ▁life ▁ ▁Pal mer ▁was ▁married ▁to ▁the ▁former ▁W inn ie ▁Wal zer ▁( 1 9 3 4 – 1 9 9 9 ) ▁for ▁ 4 5 ▁years ; ▁the ▁couple ▁had ▁two ▁daughters . ▁She ▁died ▁at ▁age ▁ 6 5 ▁on ▁November ▁ 2 0 , ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁from ▁comp lications ▁due ▁to ▁o var ian ▁cancer . ▁His ▁grand son , ▁Sam ▁Sau nd ers , ▁is ▁a ▁professional ▁gol fer ▁who ▁grew ▁up ▁playing ▁at ▁Bay ▁Hill , ▁where ▁he ▁won ▁the ▁club ▁championship ▁at ▁age ▁ 1 5 . ▁He ▁attended ▁C lem son ▁University ▁in ▁South ▁Carolina ▁on ▁a ▁golf ▁scholar ship ▁and ▁turned ▁pro ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁Sau nd ers ▁stated ▁that ▁Pal mer ' s ▁family ▁nick name ▁is ▁" D um py