AUGUSTA, Georgia (AP) -- Phil Harison, who introduced everyone from Ben
Hogan to Jack Nicklaus to Tiger Woods during his 60 years as the starter on
the first tee of the Masters, has died. He was 82.

He died Sunday [April 27, 2008] of natural causes, Augusta National Golf
Club said.

Harison was one of two people to attend every Masters since it began in
1934, and he became a familiar voice to the many fans who grew accustomed to
his Southern drawl and understated manner of announcing each player.

"Fore please, Jack Nicklaus now driving," he would say.

Harison recovered from a car accident that badly injured his back to serve
as the starter one last time in 2007, mustering enough strength to announce
only the first couple of groups.

Harison grew up in a house that was beyond the first green at Augusta
National and has since been torn down. He joined his father and brother as a
member when he was 21, and was a good golfer.

According to Golf Digest, he made a hole-in-one in separate rounds with
Nicklaus and President Eisenhower, and he played several times with Bobby
Jones, even as a teenager.

AP