Gary Player - The Legend

Nelson Mandela Invitational Welcomes Two New Partners

Jul 20, 2003 | Filed Under: The Player Foundation   

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA - Organizers of The Nelson Mandela Invitational are pleased to welcome two new partners to the prestigious charity event, namely Coca-Cola as presenting sponsor, and the Arabella Country Estate as the official venue for 2003.

The event takes place from Friday 14 November to Sunday 16 November 2003 and is now officially referred to as The Nelson Mandela Invitational presented by Coca-Cola and hosted by Gary Player.

The primary focus of this internationally acclaimed event is to help the plight of needy children in South Africa . Beneficiaries are the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund and the Gary Player Foundation, who have received over R 5 million since the event was first started by Gary Player in November 2000.

The event will once again be hosted by Gary Player, South Africa ‘s Sportsman of the Century and recent recipient of the Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award; while Nelson Mandela, who recently celebrated his 85th birthday at a glittering function in Johannesburg , will fly in for the Sunday afternoon prize giving to meet and thank the celebrity field for their participation.

Gary Player said, “Madiba and I are delighted that the success of the tournament is making a significant difference in the lives of so many children, and we look forward to a prosperous relationship with Coca-Cola and Arabella. This year’s event will undoubtedly be our most successful, and the field of participants is already the best ever.”

Coca-Cola has a long and close association with The Nelson Mandela Invitational, the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund and with Mr. Mandela himself. The company was one of the founding sponsors of the Children’s Fund and also played a key role in the development of the Mandela Gateway to Robben Island . Communications Director of Coca-Cola, Vukani Magubane says the company is proud to be associated with an event of this stature, which attracts golfing talent from around the world and generous contributions to worthy causes. Senior executives from The Coca-Cola Company’s global operations will take part in The Nelson Mandela Invitational.

The spectacular new venue for this year’s Nelson Mandela Invitational is the Arabella Country Estate. Set just outside of Cape Town - one of the top tourist destinations in the world - the Estate comprises the luxurious Western Cape Hotel and Spa and a championship golf course. The golf course is rated in the top ten in South Africa for 2003, while the Spa is considered one of the top 100 Spas in the world. The Arabella Country Estate has been earmarked as a World Heritage Site and is situated alongside the Bot River Lagoon, affording golfers some spectacular views.

The success of the Nelson Mandela Invitational lies in its unique format, with the field made up of eight fourballs, each comprising a senior professional, a regular tour professional, a celebrity and a businessman, competing against each other in a Fourball Alliance. Having attracted a star-studded field in previous years, including the likes of Hollywood’s Patrick Duffy, South Africa ‘s most accomplished cricketer, Barry Richard s, footballer Gary Lineker and Formula 1 legend Nigel Mansell, tournament organizers led by Marc Player, CEO of Black Knight International, are currently in discussions with participants abroad to ensure a competitive yet charismatic field once again for 2003.

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