South African golfing legend Gary Player received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from US President Donald Trump on Thursday.
The ceremony was held in secret due to the unrest in the nation’s capital the day before where thousands of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol building, leaving one woman dead.
Player was one of three people to receive the prestigious award, female golf star Annika Sorenstam and Olympic gold medalist Babe Zaharias the other two recipients.
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The White House confirmed the ceremony with a small press release stating, ‘President Donald J. Trump awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously to Babe Zaharias. The President also presented the award to previously announced recipients Annika Sorenstam and Gary J. Player.’
Player’s accolade, however, didn’t appear to sit well with one of his sons, Marc Player.
Marc responded to a News24 article on the matter by Tweeting: ‘I wish my father would simply & politely decline this “award” at this time. Tone deaf. In denial. Wrong!!’
The father and son relationship has been in the spotlight in the past with Marc previously saying feelings between the two have been deteriorating.
