Lee Elder was born in 1934 in Dallas, Texas. While still a teenager, he worked as a caddie and around golf courses, quickly developing a passion for the game. After playing a match with Joe Louis and Ted Rhodes, Rhodes took Elder under his wing and helped improve his game. Following a stint in the US Army from 1959-1961, Elder joined the United Golf Association Tour and was dominant. At one point, he won 18 of 22 tournaments he entered. In 1966, he played in his first major championship, finishing in a tie for 57th at the US Open.
By 1967, having raised enough money to attend the PGA Tour’s qualifying school (and also six years after the tour lifted its color barrier), Elder successfully earned his PGA Tour card for the 1968 season.
In 1974, Elder won his first PGA Tour event, the Monsanto Open, which eventually earned him an invitation to the Masters Tournament. On April 10, 1975, Elder became the first Black golfer to play in the Masters Tournament. Though he missed the cut that year, he would go on to log a top 20 finish in the tournament in 1977 and would appear in the tournament six times in total. In 1979, Elder became the first Black golfer to qualify for the Ryder Cup.