Gary Player wins online court case

Gary Player has been awarded $716,357 in damages, contempt charges and legal costs for an online marketing venture that went sour.

Player, 66, sued a company that sold merchandise using his name and his Black Knight trademark from the defunct garyplayergolf.com Web site for failing to pay quarterly licensing fees since November 2000.

U.S. District Judge Kenneth Ryskamp issued an injunction last October to halt sales and found the online company in contempt in November. He signed a final order Friday adding damages and fees.

Gary Player Golf Inc., which was licensed to use Player's name for seven years, was ordered to stop using his name, the brand name, signature, voice or likeness in any way. The name of the 21-time PGA champion and Senior Tour golfer cannot be used in Web sites, e-mail addresses or business names.

The company also must surrender any of Player's golf products to him.

Player, a resident of Palm Beach and South Africa, won three Masters titles, three British Opens, two PGA Championships and a U.S. Open. He is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.

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