Lee Elder was the first black player to compete in the Masters.
His death was confirmed by the tour on Monday.
Elder made his first appearance at Augusta National in 1975, when he was a four-time winner on the PGA Tour. He was honored at the Masters in April when he was named an official starter.
Elder said that his heart was soft this morning because of the wonderful things that he had encountered since arriving here on Monday and being able to see some of the great friends that he had made over the years.
We have competed against each other and enjoyed pleasant moments. Thank you so much for having me here. I want to thank the chairman for giving me this great honor, and I will always be grateful for it.
Elder played in five more Masters and 34 major championships. He tied for 11th at both the 1974 PGA Championship and the 1979 U.S. Open.
Elder's wins on the tour included the 1974 Monsanto Open, the 1976 Houston Open, the 1978 Greater Milwaukee Open, and the 1978 American Express Westchester Classic.
Tiger Woods acknowledged the groundwork that was laid by Elder and Charlie Sifford when he won the Masters in 1997.
I was not the pioneer. Woods said that Charlie Sifford, Lee Elder and Teddy Rhodes paved the way. I was thinking about them as I was coming up the 18th fairway. I said a prayer and a thanks. The ones who did it for me were the ones who did it.
Elder's story was uplifting regardless of race, as he overcame personal tragedy to qualify for the PGA Tour.
Elder lost his parents before he was 10. His father and mother died in World War II.
