Lee Elder, a golfing legend who in 1975 became the first Black man to compete at the Masters, passed away on Sunday at the age of 87. The PGA Tour tweeted the news this morning.

Elder was born in Texas in 1934 but lived most of his youth in Los Angeles. He began his golf career by retrieving stray golf balls until he was big enough to become a caddy. After serving in the Army, he joined the United Golf Association in 1961, a tour specifically for Black golfers who were excluded from the PGA Tour due to its whites-only rule. Later that year the tour integrated. Elder joined the PGA tour in 1968 after dominating the UGA.

Upon entering the tour, he faced significant amounts of racism, including being forced to change clothes in the parking lot because he and other Black golfers were not allowed in the clubhouses. He would receive death threats and even having his ball disappearing while playing. However, he was undeterred in playing at Augusta National in Georgia, home of the Masters.

He accomplished this goal in 1975 at age 40, despite the hate mail and threats he received. Once he stepped onto the green, all he heard was applause from the fans. Although he didn’t make the cut the first time, he went on to play in five Masters, and became the first Black golfer to represent the United States in the Ryder Cup in 1979.

In April of this year, he was honored alongside Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player during the 2021 Masters opening ceremony.