During a recent episode of his show, Chris “Mad Dog” Russo celebrated the 89-year-old golf legend Gary Player, offering him some heartfelt words of encouragement: stay alive. Player reflected on the significance of Rory McIlroy’s recent Masters victory, which completed his career Grand Slam, and shared insights on the dedication required for success, emphasizing, “Think about young people now realizing, they’ve got to do training with weights and understand the importance of perseverance. As Winston Churchill famously said, never give up. You’ve got to keep trying. Strive for education and consider how it has impacted tourism in Ireland. Can you imagine?”
Russo responded enthusiastically, “100 percent. Royal Portrush here I come or whatever it’s called. I am there next. You are the best. Stay alive. Thanks for coming on, Gary. Appreciate it.”
Mad Dog Russo concluded his interview with legendary 89-year-old Gary Player by encouraging him to “stay alive.” 😂 pic.twitter.com/5uiEvZpRsW
— Funhouse (@BackAftaThis) April 16, 2025
To clarify, the course Russo mentioned is indeed Royal Portrush, located in McIlroy’s native Northern Ireland, and it will host the Open Championship in July 2025. Although we believe Player doesn’t necessarily need encouragement to stay alive, we wholeheartedly agree: stay alive, Mr. Player.