Gary Player - The Legend

Saadiyat Beach Golf Club Awarded Audubon International Certificate for Wildlife & Habitat Management

Abu Dhabi, UAE — The Gary Player signature golf course, Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, has been awarded certification from Audubon International in recognition of its efforts to preserve and encourage wildlife on the course and surrounding areas.

In order to be awarded certification, US-based Audubon International required evidence of the Saadiyat Island club successfully implementing and carrying out activities that significantly protect and encourage natural wildlife and habitation. 

Saadiyat Beach Golf Club’s documentation of wildlife and habitat value, nurturing of natural habitat areas and restoration of degraded habitats were commended by Audubon International, the leading environmental organization for golf courses. 

The club’s Director of Agronomy, Marcus Hartup, said: “Since opening in 2010, Saadiyat Beach Golf Club has made a significant investment in protecting the magnificent wildlife which is native to the area.  Over the past two years we have seen an increase in migrating birds as well as a noted increase in Gazelle activity.

“Approximately 20 gazelles frequent the golf course in our native areas, which are strictly no-play zones.  Although these animals are very timid, they now appear to realize which areas are the no-play zones and enjoy feeding on native forage.”

Saadiyat Beach Golf Club hosts many rare bird species, such as Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush species, which the club’s agronomy team has been monitoring closely.

“The influx of birds to Saadiyat Island has been great to witness.  Each morning we venture out to the course never knowing what we’ll find that day.  Birds particularly love the area and we regularly conduct wildlife inventories to monitor which breeds are visiting the course.  Salt water lakes on hole five also provide homes to an abundance of marine life, including fish, jelly fish, muscles and crustaceans.”

The certificate brings Saadiyat Beach Golf Club one-step closer to becoming a fully certified Audubon International golf course. The not-for-profit organization was formed in 1987 to provide education on environmental issues, and the organization encourages golf courses in particular to operate in environmentally friendly methods. 

The certificate has been equally gratifying to Gary Player Design, who designed the Saadiyat Beach Golf Club under strict environmental guidelines to protect the sensitive ecosystem.  Taking advantage of the proximity to the Arabian Gulf, many holes were designed to directly experience the beautiful white beach of Saadiyat Island to enhance the playing experience while lessening the impact on the local wildlife. 

“Our commitment to the environment is unwavering, and it is a pleasure to be part of a team at Saadiyat who shares a dedication to enhancing the surrounding eco-system,” said Jeff Lawrence, Gary Player Design’s Senior Designer assigned to the Saadiyat project.

Troon Golf Middle East’s Group General Manager, Ken Kosak, said: “Wildlife on Saadiyat Island has been a top priority for the club since day one.  In the construction of the course every effort was made to ensure natural habitats, wildlife and fauna would be preserved and protected. 

“Our vision for Saadiyat Beach Golf Club is to successfully operate a world-class golf course in full harmony with its natural environment.”

Saadiyat Beach Golf Club is the only golf course in the Middle East to boast stunning beachfront views, with visitors often surprised to see hawksbill turtles and dolphins off the shore’s coast near Hole 5 and Hole 6.  The gazelles can be seen in the designated native areas of the course, which comprise of natural foliage and fauna and are strictly ‘no-mow zones.’  Over 50 different species of bird have been identified to date on the golf course, including the Siberian Stonechat, European Bee Eater, Yellow Wagtail, Woodchat Shrike and European roller amongst others.

Saadiyat Beach Golf Club is a haven of tranquility away from the hustle and bustle of old town Abu Dhabi, and offers visitors an unrivalled golf experience like no other.

Article Courtesy of the Saadiyat Beach Golf Club.

« Back

BlackSeaRama Pro-Am Offers Unique ‘Triple Treat’

Two golf courses designed by Gary Player will soon be spotlighted during the fourth annual BlackSeaRama Pro-Am in Bulgaria on July 10-15.  This year, the PGAs of Europe sanctioned event offers a new and unique triple treat for contestants, as the 54-hole tournament will be staged across three of Europe’s newest and most dramatically exciting golf courses.

In its previous three years, the BlackSeaRama Pro-Am has made a significant contribution to golf in Bulgaria with its events at the luxury resort and on the superb Gary Player-designed golf course.

Now a whole new dimension has been added with the addition of the Lighthouse and Thracian Cliffs golf courses. This rotation of courses is ingeniously threaded along the ruggedly beautiful high-rise coastline in the northeast Varna region of the country.

Breathtaking sea views towards the magnificent and extremely diverse bay from Cape Kaliakra to Cape Galata of the Black Sea are the backdrop of a region that is being described in the travel industry as among Europe’s most attractive for sport, leisure and general tourism.

BlackSeaRama is the first championship Signature golf course in Bulgaria – 18 holes, par 72, 6,648 metres in length – and the first completed project of Gary Player Design in Eastern Europe. But it doesn’t end there.

“This year we decided to make the tournament even more challenging by including our neighbouring courses – Lighthouse – an Ian Woosnam Signature Golf Course and Thracian Cliffs – a Gary Player Signature Golf Course,” declared the organisers.

A prize fund of €20,000 (based 20 teams competing) will be available to professionals, who will enjoy the experience of playing three courses that will inevitably become an increasing target for golfing explorers intrigued by the reports of their splendor.

Golf World magazine included Thracian Cliffs in their Golf Escapes Collection for 2012-13 and described this region of Bulgaria as boasting “three terrific new courses with seemingly endless views…this truly is a special place.”  Golf World added, “Thracian Cliffs is one of the most dramatic golf courses on earth.”

Article courtesy of the PGAs of Europe

« Back

Laureus Reaches Its 100th Sport for Good Project

LONDON – The Laureus Sport for Good Foundation is proud to announce that it now supports more than 100 community sports-based projects around the world, all of which are helping to improve the lives of disadvantaged young people in more than 30 countries.
Laureus Chairman Edwin Moses welcomed the news by saying: “That’s a big number, 100. I’m happy that we’ve got there. I don’t think anyone ever envisioned that we would get to 100 so quickly.”

The 100th figure was reached when the Coach Across America training initiative, launched with Laureus support last month, reached nine new sports-based youth development projects in Chicago.
The Laureus Sports for Good Foundation funds and promotes sport as a tool for social change. It is a global leader in research, expertise and best practice in supporting grassroots programmes around the world. Founded in 2000, it has raised more than €40 million for projects which have improved the lives of over one-and-a-half million young people.

Edwin Moses added: “Going back to the early days when we had six projects in four different cities, I don’t think anyone ever envisioned that we would get to 100 so quickly.  Over the last five years it’s happened very rapidly, so it’s great that we’re able to help more kids in many different parts of the world. When I look at Laureus over the course of our life, there’s just a dramatic difference. It has shown how that the organisation has grown tremendously and will continue to do so with an effective long term strategy.”

Edwin Moses and his fellow members of the Laureus World Sports Academy, all great sporting legends, volunteer their time to support the work of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, whose mission is to use sport as the means to combat some of the world’s toughest social challenges facing young people today such as juvenile crime, gangs, HIV/AIDS, discrimination, social exclusion, landmines awareness and health problems like obesity.

Ned Wills, Director of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, promised there was much more to come. “The growth of projects that we support has now accelerated as we start to utilise and roll out the expertise that we’ve been developing over the last few years.  I’m thrilled at the direction and the course that we’ve taken. I’m thrilled at the successes we’ve had.
“What’s incredibly important is not only are we passing this significant milestone, but it’s not just about the quantity, it’s the quality of support that we’re now able to offer. We are able to offer a range of services and expertise to that 100th project that we never really would have thought possible in 2000 when we first started.”

« Back

Gary Player Invitational Contest Yields the Experience of a Lifetime

What started as a simple entry into a Facebook contest quickly turned into an experience of a lifetime for Brian Schamber, golf enthusiast and Los Alamos, New Mexico detective. 

Schamber was the lucky winner of a gratis spot in the Gary Player Invitational in Augusta, Georgia after being able to correctly answer a trivia question posted on the Gary Player and Black Knight International Facebook pages.

In awe, Schamber commented, “The first thing I thought was that this is not possible.”

But it was possible.  Upon finding the message that stated he had won the trip, Schamber and his wife, Zina, were prompted to quickly plan for the 1561 mile, two day cross-country road trip to Augusta, GA.

The trip proved to be worthwhile as Brian and Zina arrived to Augusta on Sunday just in time to watch the final round of the Masters with the Black Knight himself.

“Sitting with Mr. Player and rooting for Louis Oosthuizen down the stretch at the Masters was amazing.  Not only was the experience amazing, but hearing Mr. Player talk about his experiences at the Masters was unforgettable.”

After sitting with the golf legend and hearing the firsthand commentary of how each player was playing, Schamber must have taken note.  The next morning, following a swing analysis from Player, Shamber joined his eventual winning teammates, Alex Maditisi, Marc Tudhope, and Bobby Vine for the charity scramble tournament.  The victorious team posted an impressive 52, which was 20 under par for the day.

“Winning the tournament was probably the one thing that that was almost too much to comprehend.  I have won golf tournaments before, but never one that meant so much to me,” commented Schamber. 

In addition to his work for the Los Alamos Police Department, Schamber has started a Stand For The Silent chapter in his hometown to help empower local children to stand up for others and themselves when bullied.

“It was wonderful that Brian and his wife, Zina, made to trip to Augusta to join us for the GPI.  He and his team posted a very competitive score to win the tournament, but we were even more impressed by the impact Brian is making for bullied children in his New Mexico community,” said Black Knight International CEO, Marc Player.

The statistics describing how bullying is affecting America’s youth are staggering. “13,000,000 children will be bullied in the US this year,” said Schamber. “I decided the statistics were way too high and I needed to do something to help bullied kids.”

In between his time helping the local community, Shamber will now have to make it a priority to continue perfecting his golf game in order to defend his title next year. “We will make this an annual trip and will be honored to be Mr. Player’s guests again in the years to come,” he said.

“It is funny thinking back now how I was so excited at the thought of winning a [Black Knight autographed] hat, and it turned out the way it did,” said Schamber.  “This is an experience Zina and I will cherish for the rest of our lives.” 

« Back

Gary Player to Star at Golf Live in London

The Black Knight will be giving the benefit of all his expertise and experience to fans at Golf Live, from May 18-20 at the London Golf Club, England, alongside a host of other star names.

The nine-time Major and Senior Tour Major winner will be on hand to display his full array of talents in a variety of clinics and skills challenges as well as meeting visitors and signing autographs throughout the three-day golfing extravaganza.

Ryder Cup winning captain Colin Montgomerie and European Tour winners Thomas Levet, Pablo Larrazabal, Oli Fisher and Rhys Davies will be among the other Tour stars showing off their skills at the event, while Solheim Cup captain Alison Nicholas and Ladies European Tour players Melissa Reid and Carly Booth will be representing the women’s side of the game.

Player said: “The world of golf is evolving all the time and I’m delighted to have been asked to be a part of Golf Live. I love coming to the UK and to have the opportunity to interact with the crowd is very exciting.”

As well as meeting and learning from the big-name golfers, golf fans will have a host of interactive features to enjoy including free golf lessons; club-fitting; the opportunity for a Golf Monthly swing MOT; stunning displays from the 2010 world long-drive champion Joe Miller and world-renowned trick-shot artists Jeremy Dale and Paul Barrington.

Visitors can also take advantage of autograph sessions from all the star golfers, including Montgomerie signing copies of his new autobiography which is being specially released for the show, while on-site catering is supplied by Jamie Oliver’s Fabulous Feasts team.

Virgin Atlantic flights are among big prizes available to be won in daily competitions, including long-drive, nearest the pin, putting and events in association with the Seve Ballesteros Foundation and Scotland – the Home of Golf.

Lee Westwood’s coach, Pete Cowen, will share his swing methods and secrets while consumers will have the chance to try out the latest in golf club technology from the game’s top brands including TaylorMade, Callaway, Wilson, Cleveland, Mizuno, Yonex, Cobra, Archer Golf, Lynx and PSP, who will all be demonstrating their latest equipment on the show’s 30-bay outdoor driving range.

In addition, the likes of Sub70, Sligo, Powerbug, Asbri, Loudmouth Golf, QOD and Snooper will also be among the impressive cast of companies involved.

As well as being able to watch, listen to and ask questions of the star-studded cast during the three-day show, people also have the chance to play alongside the Tour professionals with Golf Live’s Heritage Hospitality Package available for just £375 plus VAT per person.

Tickets for Golf Live, which takes place from May 18-20, cost just £20 for adults while under-18s can gain free entry by registering on Golf Live’s website.

To inquire about booking a hospitality package, phone 020 7471 1080 and for more information or to buy tickets visit http://www.golfliveevent.com

« Back

Gary Player Honored at The Players Championship by the PGA Tour

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Gary Player, the 10th recipient of the PGA TOUR’s Lifetime Achievement Award, was honored at a reception Wednesday night at The Players Championship.

Player joins Gene Sarazen; Byron Nelson; Arnold Palmer; Sam Snead; Jack Burke Jr.; Pete Dye; Deane Beman; Jack Nicklaus; and President George H.W. Bush in receiving the award, which was announced in March.

“It’s very, very exciting,” Player told local reporters prior to the ceremony. “A lifetime [award] and I’ve had a lifetime in this game. I’ve been a pro almost 60 years. I’ve probably traveled more than any human being that’s ever lived around the world.”

While on stage, Player also held a sit-down chat with some of the current South African professionals on the PGA TOUR who have been influenced by him – Ernie Els, Trevor Immelman, Retief Goosen, Rory Sabbatini and Louis Oosthuizen. All but Sabbatini have won major titles, and those five have combined for 118 victories worldwide. (See photo below)

As for Player? He won nine major championships — including the Grand Slam by the time he was 29 — as well as nine senior major championships.  In all, the diminutive South African collected 165 titles around the world, which include 24 PGA TOUR events and another 19 on the Champions Tour.

At the ceremony, Player thanked his wife Vivienne for her support, then added with a laugh, “Six kids, 21 grandchildren. I had to win just to break even.”

Player’s first major came at the 1959 British Open at Muirfield, the first of three British Opens. Two years later, he won the 1961 Masters, one of three Green Jackets he would earn. Player earned two PGA Championships and the 1965 U.S. Open where he beat Kel Nagle in an 18-hole playoff.

The 76-year-old Player was a fitness buff before it became fashionable and he credits his exercise regimen with his longevity as a player. He was 42 when he won his last major at the 1978 Masters, coming from seven strokes behind with birdies on seven of his final 10 holes.

Player, who is known for wearing all black, is part of golf’s The Big Three, along with Nicklaus and Palmer. He joined them in hitting the ceremonial first tee shot at the Masters this year.

Beyond the golf course, though, Player has been a crusader against apartheid in his native country. His philanthropic endeavors include building the Blair Atholl Schools in his native Johannesburg, which serve more than 500 students from kindergarten to the eighth grade.

Through his foundation, which was established in 1983, Player has raised more than $50 million to help educate poor children in rural South African, as well as provide nutrition and medical care. The Foundation holds a global series of fund-raising events on four continents — Asia, Europe, South African and the United States.

Player, who is an avid horseman and rancher, is also a well-respected golf course designer with more than 350 projects around the globe. Those courses have hosted well over 100 golf tournaments, including the 2003 Presidents Cup at the Links at Fancourt.

Player served as Captain of the International Team that year, the first of three stints facing his long-time friend Nicklaus. The Presidents Cup famously ended in a tie that year.

Article courtesy of the PGA Tour.  Photos courtesy of Chris Condon/PGA TOUR.

« Back

Nicklaus, Palmer and Player Win Special Insperity Championship Exhibition

THE WOODLANDS, Texas—Arnold Palmer curled in the 25-foot putt on the 18th hole, raised his right hand and acknowledged the massive, cheering gallery with a thumbs-up sign and his trademark smile.

Jack Nicklaus gave Palmer a hard handshake. Gary Player offered a pat on the back, a fitting end to a memorable day for the golf greats.

Nicklaus, Palmer, Player made up a threesome in a nostalgic, 18-hole exhibition round Saturday in conjunction with the second round of the Champions Tour’s Insperity Championship.

Thousands lined the fairways at the Woodlands Country Club and several Champions Tour players joined the gallery to catch a rare glimpse of golf’s “Big 3” playing together.

“We enjoyed it,” Nicklaus said. “We didn’t make any bogeys, we made a few birdies and we hit a few nice shots and had a great time. And that’s what this was all about.”

Lee Trevino played in the threesome ahead in the nine-man scramble. Miller Barber, Don January, David Graham, Gene Littler and Dave Stockton also participated.

But most of the estimated crowd of 40,000 came to see the Big 3, who hit the ceremonial opening tee shots together at the Masters for the first time this year.

This day was different, and even competitive. Naturally, Nicklaus, Palmer and Player took home the biggest trophy, shooting 11 under par.

“We didn’t make it too serious,” Palmer said, “but we didn’t want to come in second, either.”

The event seemed to be a huge success, with young and old fans eagerly snapping photos and lining up for autographs between every hole. They were treated not only to entertaining, up-close banter with the players, but also some solid golf.

The 76-year-old Player, who says he routinely shoots six or seven shots below his age, dropped his approach to the par-4 11th hole within 2 feet, setting up one of the group’s 11 birdies.

“We birdied the living daylights out of this golf course,” Player said. “The quality of golf was like when we were young.”

Palmer tapped in the short putt before Player and Nicklaus reached the green, and Palmer bent down and rolled the ball down a hill to Player’s feet, drawing laughter from the crowd.

There were also reminders of the days when the men ruled the game.

Driver in hand, Nicklaus walked up to the tee box on the par-5 13th hole and turned to the gallery.

“How long is this hole?” Nicklaus asked.

“Five hundred yards,” someone answered.

“Driver, wedge, Jack!” someone else said.

“Ah, those were the good ol’ days,” Nicklaus said, before hitting a drive down the right side of the fairway.

Palmer, who retired from competitive golf during the Champions Tour event here in 2006, had his share of good shots and capped the day with the long birdie putt.

“I was so happy to see him do that,” Player said. “He got a little taste of what he did when he was young.”

Houston resident Steve Elkington, Ben Crenshaw, Andy Bean and Peter Jacobsen were among the former pros who joined the gallery to catch a peek at the game’s greats back in their element.

“I love to see them,” Crenshaw said. “We can’t thank them enough. They’ve done it all for us. I have been so fortunate to have spent so much time with them, not only playing, but being together. They’ve been a great part of my professional life.“Crenshaw hopes this isn’t the last time he sees them play together. Nicklaus, Palmer, Player and Trevino all seemed enthusiastic about doing it again, too.

“We had a blast today,” Nicklaus said.

Article courtesy of AP.  Photos courtesy of Getty Images.

« Back

PGA TOUR Latinoamerica Announces 2012 Schedule

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla.—PGA TOUR Latinoamerica announced its inaugural 2012 schedule on Wednesday. The schedule will consist of 11 events contested in seven countries throughout Latin America and run from September through December, with access to the Nationwide Tour provided to the top players.

The inaugural season will debut in Mexico with two new events, the Mundo Maya Open and the Monterrey Open. The Mundo Maya Open kicks off the season on Sept. 3 in Merida, Mexico at the Yucatan CC, a Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course. Monterrey, Mexico will then host the Monterrey Open at La Herradura GC.

Established in 1945, the Colombian Open in Bogota’s Club El Rinc n de Cajic rounds out the opening swing of the season.

The following two events will be played in October, starting with the 58th playing of the Brazil Open in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Immediately after, PGA TOUR Latinoamerica heads south to Argentina’s capital, Buenos Aires, and the Roberto De Vicenzo Invitational. Hosted by the San Eliseo Golf & CC, the tournament honoring Latin America’s all-time greatest player will be the first of three events to be contested in Argentina during the inaugural season of PGA TOUR Latinoamerica.

November brings the series to an event celebrating its 30th anniversary, the Peru Open at Los Inkas GC in Lima, Peru. Next the players head north to the Caribbean for events on the islands of the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, with the Dominican Republic Open at Cana Bay GC and the Puerto Rico Classic at the legendary and newly renovated East Course at Dorado Beach Resort.

The final stretch of PGA TOUR Latinoamerica’s maiden season begins in Cali, Colombia for the Colombian Coffee Classic at Club Campestre de Cali.

Players vying for the top spots on the Order of Merit will have two events remaining in Buenos Aires. Rounding out the 2012 season are the Olivos Golf Classic-Copa Personal and the Argentine Open. The Olivos Golf Classic-Copa Personal will be played at Olivos Golf Club and is followed by the Argentine Open, set to celebrate its 107th playing at Nordelta GC, another Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course.

“We are delighted to announce the 2012 PGA TOUR Latinoamerica season schedule,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem. “This schedule will provide a good test for players seeking a pathway to the next level of PGA TOUR golf, the Nationwide Tour.

“This is an important step for the PGA TOUR and for professional golf with South America hosting its first ever Olympic Games, which includes golf’s return to the competition for the first time in more than 100 years. “

PGA TOUR Latinoamerica also announced the launch of a bi-lingual informational website, pgatourla.com. The site, available in both English and Spanish, contains a list of the players qualified to compete on PGA TOUR Latinoamerica, the schedule and qualifying tournament information. A more robust site with player bios, tournament host venue and history information with additional editorial coverage is set to launch in early June at the conclusion of the 2012 Tour de las Americas season.

“The 2012 PGA TOUR Latinoamerica schedule is a combination of long-running established events as well as a handful of new events, which is a testament to the collaborative effort of the National Federations, Tour de las Americas, promoters and clubs in the region” said Jack Warfield, President, PGA TOUR Latinoamerica. “We feel this schedule will be a strong test for the players who will be looking to move up to the next level of PGA TOUR golf, the Nationwide Tour.”

A total of 43 players from eight nations have already qualified to play the PGA TOUR Latinoamerica inaugural season. Ten more players will earn spots at the conclusion of the Tour de las Americas’ 2012 season on June 3, while other players will have their chance to qualify through qualifying events held in Argentina in June and Miami in July.

The 2012 PGA TOUR Latinoamerica schedule will be contested over four months while the 2013 schedule is expected to divide the schedule into two distinct swings, the first with events played from March through May, followed by the remainder of events in the October through December timeframe.

Article courtesy of PGA TOUR.

« Back

Game’s Greats Back Together Again—Maybe for the Last Time

Nicklaus, Palmer, Player and Trevino.

Back together again for the first time in a long time, and probably for the last time in a golf competition, Jack, Arnie, Gary and Lee will be putting on a show this weekend, playing in a one-time event—just for the fun of it.

Imagine that. What foursome from any era, past or present, could match this one? Short answer: None.

For combined star power, worldwide victories, sportsmanship, contributions to golf, work ethics and showmanship, it’s peerless.

Some, who played just after steel replaced hickory shafts, may want to make a case for Snead, Hagen, Sarazen, and Hogan. Or maybe Nelson. Be our guest. Regardless of the cogency of your argument, the simple fact remains: we won’t be seeing that foursome again ‘til the roll is called up yonder.

Youngsters, whose first golf memory is of Tiger winning the ‘97 Masters, will have to wait a decade or so for the other three players to identify themselves and fill out the foursome from this epoch. There’s certainly no shortage of candidates. Who are they? Feel free to start arguing about it.

Meanwhile, on Saturday at The Woodlands Tournament Course in Houston, after the final tee time at the Insperity Championship on the Champions Tour, Jack Nicklaus, 72, Arnold Palmer, 82, Gary Player, 76, and Lee Trevino, 72 will join five other luminaries in an 18-hole event.

This whole show, which will include Don January, Miller Barber, Gene Littler, David Graham and Dave Stockton is fittingly titled the “Greats of Golf.” It was conceived and brought to life by Bryan Naugle, the Executive Director of the Insperity Championship and a partner in Pro Links Sports, an events firm that manages a number of Champions Tour events, including the Insperity Championship. Naugle, formerly a rules official on the Champions Tour, said he was thinking about the concept for quite a while and decided to try putting it together a few months ago.

“Basically, I just went to them all and said, ‘Hey, I’d like to get the band together one more time,’” Naugle said.

And so began the reassembling the iconic foursome for what Naugle called a “one-shot deal.”

And what a deal it is. None of the four is collecting a fee for playing in the Scramble format. And there will be no admission charge for spectators. For foursomes of equivalent clout, think John, Paul, George and Ringo doing their free concert on the roof at Apple in 1969 or The Four Horsemen, both “of The Apocalypse” and the later football-playing cover band conceived by Grantland Rice in 1924.

The 1980s heavy-metal band Metallica also covered The Four Horsemen, and I suppose there must be something to the interpretation because it has more than 3 million hits on YouTube, so, yeah, as the kids say.

Even though he has known the four players for decades, and is friendly with each, Naugle knew it would be a task to find open dates that matched all four calendars and that corresponded with an event on the Champions Tour that would be a good fit.

He approached Nicklaus in his Palm Beach Gardens office two months ago to try once again. And Jack, as he is occasionally wont to do, put his old buddy through the wringer.

“Big Jack told me, ‘No,’ it seemed like 40-some times,” Naugle said. “Then he walked over to his calendar, looked at it and said, ‘I hate to tell you that (pause) I don’t have anything scheduled on those days. I’ll do it.’”

Naugle was laughing as he told the story.

“So I left his office and I never hit a stair going down,” Naugle said. “Cause I knew once I had Jack, I could get everybody else.”

And he did. There is synchronicity with both the timing and the format of the Greats of Golf event. It was 34 years ago this week that the first Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf event was played at Onion Creek Country Club in Austin. The format was 36 holes, better-ball twosome, and the team of Sam Snead and Gardner Dickinson won by a shot over the Aussie pairing of Kel Nagle and Peter Thomson.

Snead, a month shy of his 66th birthday, birdied the final three holes—sticking a wedge to kick-in range at the last—and he and Dickinson each won $50,000, quite a take in those days. The Legends is often cited as being the impetus for the formation of the Champions Tour, which was formed two years later.

The Legends is still an official event of the Champions Tour. The purse is $2.7 million and the winning team splits $460,000.

It would be impossible to quantify how much Nicklaus, Palmer, Player and Trevino have had to do with the growth of the PGA TOUR and the Champions Tour, but there can be no doubt it is enormous.

When they get together this weekend, it will not be about money or titles or even legacies. It will be about the bonds the game creates among those who play it at the highest level.

“It could very well be the last time you see all four of us tee it up together,” Nicklaus said. “But I don’t look at it as an opportunity to play golf. I look at it as an opportunity to get together with old friends and hopefully have some good fun along the way.”

Nicklaus was asked about getting the band together again.

“Together or individually, they represent three of the greatest players in the history of the game,” Nicklaus said. “You can’t give Arnold enough credit for what he did to popularize the game of golf. He brought a new whole new fan base into the game and made golf attractive to the television-viewing public. He had a look and an aggressive style of play that endeared him to the fans.

“And I have said many times that Gary Player, pound-for-pound, might be the fiercest competitor in golf. The friendship Gary and I forged through our many tournaments and many travels with Arnold as ‘The Big Three’ is perhaps the closest I share with any golfer. And to this day, I think Lee Trevino, along with Ben Hogan, are the two best ball-strikers this game has ever seen. Lee could do more with a golf ball than anyone I have ever witnessed.”

The format will be a three-man Scramble, with the Big Three in the final threesome, Trevino, Graham and Littler in the penultimate group, and Stockton, Barber and January in the threesome leading off.

“These fans here in Houston are going to get a really great show,” Naugle said. “One of the things I respect so much about these guys is how much they give back to the game that’s been so good to them.

“This is just another example of how they give of themselves and their time. I’d like to see all the young guys take a lesson from them on how much they give back.”

Article courtesy of PGA TOUR.

« Back

A Masters Reunion

The first major championship of 2012 was a busy one for the Black Knight.  Headlining the week was the reunion of The Big Three, consisting of Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer, for Wednesday’s Par 3 tournament and Thursday morning’s ceremonial tee shots as honorary starters for the 76th Masters Tournament.

Despite inclement weather halting the Par 3 tournament after two holes, Player was pleased when he birdied his first hole, verifying that, at 76 years-old, he can still play the game. 

The most talked about event of the week was Player, Palmer, and Nicklaus, who have 13 green jackets combined, kicking off the tournament.

“I was absolutely thrilled to join Jack and Arnold as an honorary starter.  I have many fond memories from my time at Augusta National and having the privilege to join my dear friends and competitors in the honorary starter capacity has made the Masters that much more special to me,” said Player.

Mr. Fitness made a point to outdrive Palmer and Nicklaus on their ceremonial tee shots.  “I had been working out quite a bit extra. I wanted to make sure to hit a good one on Thursday morning,” Player said.

Events off the grounds of the Augusta National proved to be just as important to the 76 year-old golf icon.  Player hosted over 400 friends, guests and business partners from around the world.  Dinner guests ranged from new Callaway Golf CEO, Chip Brewer, and the rest of the Callaway team to bestselling author, James Patterson.

Perhaps Player could attribute his powerful tee shot Thursday to the South African fare served at the Gary Player braai on Wednesday night.  Over 200 guests attended the event. Player’s Wednesday night braai has become a Masters tradition itself.

“We had a wonderful week and it was a great pleasure to have so many guests and business partners join us throughout the tournament. We always have a great time in Augusta. Our braai has become a really nice event,” said Marc Player, Black Knight International CEO.

  Mr. Player spent Sunday afternoon watching the Masters 2012 final round at his hospitality house, with participants in Monday’s Gary Player Invitational Tournament, held at the Champions Retreat Golf Club in Augusta.  The Sunday afternoon GPI kickoff event is an opportunity for amateur golfers from around the world to spend some quality time with the golfing legend.

While Player may have been wholeheartedly rooting for his fellow South African participant, Louis Oosthuizen, to win, he acknowledged, “Louis played a very good round of golf and sometimes when you play well the other guy makes a great shot to win. That is what happened and I think that we all must recognize what an amazing shot Bubba Watson made on number ten.”

All in all, the 2012 Masters was a resounding success and exciting from start to finish in the mind of Player.

« Back

Morocco’s Tourism Drive Sparks Royal Visit to Augusta

Morocco’s ambitious goals to boost their tourism industry brought His Royal Highness Prince Moulay Rachid to Augusta during Masters Week with plans to discuss the expansion of Gary Player Design’s presence in the North African country.

By 2020, Morocco hopes to be one of the world’s top twenty tourist destinations, while becoming a model of sustainability in the Mediterranean destinations.  Stretching from the Mediterranean and Atlantic to the Atlas Mountains, Morocco possesses a beautiful and unique natural environment poised to create a premier golfing destination.  The natural splendor of the area, coupled with the focus on sustainability, makes the Gary Player Design philosophy an ideal fit for Morocco’s 2020 tourism vision.

Looking to build upon its existing design portfolio in Morocco, Gary Player Design has been tapped by the Royal Family to upgrade several of their existing courses. Courses in the works include an eighteen-hole course in both Marrakesh as well as Rabat, the Moroccan capital.

It was through this formal design relationship that His Royal Highness Prince Moulay Rachid accepted an invitation to join Gary Player and Black Knight International at the Masters.  In an afternoon meeting, the golf legend and the Prince spoke about the future of golf in his home country.  Plans for course redesigns and junior golf were discussed before the Prince was given a tour of the Augusta National Golf Club, by Gary Player himself.

“Gary Player Design has already completed two high profile projects in Morocco, and we look forward to assisting the Royal Family in enhancing several of their existing courses,” said Gary Player Design President Scott Ferrell.

In addition to Player’s design expertise, His Royal Highness sought advice on strategies to grow professional golf in Morocco.  Morocco is currently home to the European Tour’s Hassan II Golf Trophy, which will celebrate its 40th anniversary next year.  The Hassan II Golf Trophy holds a rich history and has over the years been able to pull some of the biggest names in the world of golf, including Gary Player.

Additional efforts to bolster the professional golf environment were made by His Royal Highness in 2010 with the establishment of the Atlas Pro Tour, a new winter golf circuit.

Marc Player, CEO of Black Knight International, stated, “It was a pleasure to host His Royal Highness and his delegation for their first visit to Augusta National.  Gary Player Design and the Black Knight are thrilled to be a part of Morocco’s Vision 2020 to increase tourism, and we hope to help create a solid foundation to grow golf in Morocco.”

« Back

The Gary Player Invitational at Augusta—An Excellent Start to Global Charity Series

It was hole-in-one number 28 for the Black Knight that stole the show on the golf course during the U.S. leg of the global Gary Player Invitational series, but it was the spirit of giving off the course that will leave a lasting impact. 

Following an exciting Masters week where Gary Player joined Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus as an honorary starter, the Gary Player Invitational held at Champions Retreat Golf Club proved to be just as exciting and successful.  The first event of the series raised nearly $300,000 to fund underprivileged children’s education.

“This was an excellent start to our global charity series.  We could not ask for more, and I am excited to see the generosity carry on as we continue to make a difference for underprivileged children around the world with our upcoming events,” said Marc Player, Black Knight International CEO.

The 4-ball scramble tournament was won by a team who encompassed the tournament’s global spirit of giving as Alex Maditzi and Marc Tudhope, of South Africa, were joined by Americans Brian Schamber and Bobby Vine.  The victorious team posted an impressive 20 under par, 52.

One of the most exciting events of the day took place when Gary Player’s 28th hole-in-one gave Team Land Rover an eagle to propel them into the second spot. 

“I am starting to think that I should play at Champions Retreat every day,” Player commented on the second consecutive year making an ace on at the 150 yard, par 3, 4th hole at the Champions Retreat Creek Course. 

Next year will mark the 30th anniversary of The Player Foundation. Though the foundation began as a personal project from Gary Player to help local children in South Africa, the success of the GPI events has allowed the charity to raise over 50 million dollars.

“I can’t thank our corporate partners enough.  Every year Rolex, Callaway, SAP, Coca-Cola, UPS, Verizon, Berenberg Bank, and Range Rover support our GPI series throughout the world and we would simply not be able to achieve the fund raising success we have without them,” added Marc Player.

The next invitational series event is the European GPI presented by Berenberg Bank set to take place at the historic Wentworth Golf Club outside of London on July 23. 

« Back

Gary Player Joins Field at Bad Ragaz

Gary Player is set to return to the European Senior Tour as he recently committed to the Bad Ragaz PGA Seniors Open on July 6-8.  This marks the Black Knight’s first entry into the highly successful Swiss tournament and will be his first tournament since placing in the top five of the Liberty Mutual Insurance Legends of Golf tournament with partner Simon Hobday.

Ralph Polligkeit, President of the Bad Ragaz PGA Seniors Open, said: “One of the game’s greatest players, Gary Player, will attend our Tournament at Bad Ragaz for the first time. We’re very much looking forward to it.”

Player is joining a field with an already impressive cast with the likes of Bob Charles, Constantino Rocca, Andrew Oldcorn, and the 2011 tournament champion Peter Fowler.

In addition to the stellar player field, the Golf Club Bad Ragaz will mark its 16th consecutive year as host making it the longest unbroken run of any host venue on the Senior Tour. An increased prize fund of €280,000, a rise of €30,000 on 2011, will also underline the tournament’s status as one of the leading events on the European Senior Tour.

Andy Stubbs, Managing Director of the European Senior Tour, said: “The Bad Ragaz PGA Seniors Open has been a permanent fixture on our schedule since the inaugural event in 1997, and we are delighted to announce a significant increase in the prize fund.

“We have enjoyed a long standing relationship with Golf Club Bad Ragaz and this rise in prize money shows how the tournament continues to grow. The tournament is already one of the most popular on the Senior Tour due in no small part to the wonderful hospitality we are always afforded at Golf Club Bad Ragaz, and we are all looking forward to another superb tournament in July.”

Last year’s tournament was won in dramatic fashion by Peter Fowler, who overturned Angel Fernandez’s seven shot lead to claim his second Senior Tour title, and the Australian went on to win the 2011 Order of Merit ahead of former Ryder Cup player Barry Lane.

Fernandez had fired a superb opening round nine under par 61 to equal the course record that was set in 2006 by Spaniard Juan Qurios and equalled in 2008 by Englishman Carl Mason, who is the only player to win the Bad Ragaz PGA Seniors Open on three occasions.

Portions of article courtesy of European Tour

« Back

The Big Three Head to the Insperity Championship for a Special Competition

THE WOODLANDS, Texas (April 11)—Insperity Championship patrons will have a rare and perhaps final opportunity to see Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Lee Trevino compete in a special competition Saturday afternoon of tournament week at The Woodlands Tournament Course.

The tournament has created a Greats of Golf competition that will include the ‘Big Four’ along with Don January, Miller Barber, Gene Littler, David Graham and Dave Stockton.

On Saturday, May 5, this powerful and entertaining group of the game’s greatest players will tee off following the last tee time of the official competition. These nine players will play in threesomes and will play an 18-hole scramble format.

“We wanted to do something special for the fans this year and when these gentlemen agreed to participate in this relaxed but competitive format we were ecstatic and so were the players,” said Executive Director Bryan Naugle. “This is an incredible opportunity that perhaps will never be matched again.”

This group includes five World Golf Hall of Fame members, has a combined total of 256 PGA TOUR victories, 46 major championship titles and 141 Champions Tour wins.

The Insperity Championship offers FREE grounds only admission tickets courtesy of Insperity, The Woodlands Development Company, Woodforest National Bank and HP. The grounds ticket also includes free parking and shuttle service.

For updated information on all aspects of the Insperity Championship, fans are encouraged to visit www.insperitychampionship.com.

Article courtesy of PGA TOUR

« Back

The Gary Player Invitational at Augusta Continues Its Success

The Gary Player Invitational Series of global charity golf tournaments continued its success in the USA by raising nearly $300,000 to help fund underprivileged children’s education.  The event was held at Champions Retreat Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia the only golf property in the USA to feature 9-holes designed by The Big Three - Gary Player, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus.

“Our USA event is always special and as they do every year our sponsors were most generous.  I am so proud that the commitment to help children get the education they need to succeed remains an important part of today’s society,” said Gary Player.

Marc Player, CEO of Black Knight International, commented, “I can’t thank our corporate partners enough.  Every year Rolex, Callaway, SAP, Coca-Cola, UPS, Verizon, Berenberg Bank, and Range Rover support our GPI series throughout the world and we would simply not be able to achieve the fund raising success we have without them.”

One of the highlights of the event was Gary Player’s 28th hole-in-one.  It was the second year in a row that Player scored a hole-in-one during the USA event.  “I am starting to think that I should play at Champions Retreat every day,” he said.

The Black Knight was joined by 18 teams of 4 players and a Southern BBQ with some South African flair followed the day’s competition.

The Gary Player Invitational Series is an annual series of charity golf tournaments held in the USA, Europe, China and South Africa.  Proceeds from the events and gala auctions provide funding for underprivileged children across the globe.  Since its establishment, The Player Foundation has raised over $50 million dollars to the support of children’s charities, the betterment of impoverished communities and the expansion of educational opportunities throughout the world.

« Back

Player, Palmer, Nicklaus Weigh In On Issues

After the Big Three of yesteryear began this year’s 76th Masters by hitting the ceremonial opening tee shots, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player teed off on a variety of subjects concerning golf.

The winners of 13 Masters headed to the media center after splitting the first fairway with their drives to start the tournament.

“It was a great thrill, having had this wonderful relationship, great friendship with Arnold and Jack for a long, long time and having traveled extensively around the world together,” Player said about joining the two for the first time for the ceremonial tee shot. “We’ve even cried together, and we’ve laughed together, and we’ve had good times.

“And I think that we really wanted to promote the game to the best of our ability around the world. I think what we try to do is contribute to the game of golf that we really love so much and are so grateful for what golf has done for us and our careers.”

The three aren’t done promoting the game. With plenty of jokes to go around - Nicklaus said the first time he saw a ceremonial tee shot was Palmer “a long, long time ago,” and Player said Nicklaus still “has deep pockets and short arms,” - the three were serious in talking about golf and its future.

Here are some highlights:

On golf architecture:

Player: “Personally when we design golf courses, the odds of being asked to design a golf course for a championship are almost remote. You do have an occasional one, but the majority of golf courses obviously would be for members. Now if we do have one for a championship, we copy certain things, but generally speaking, we build them softer, not as undulating of greens and not as long and not as difficult, because, generally speaking, I think that’s what’s hurting golf. The golf courses are too tough, they are too long, the expenses are so high, the water, the machinery, the oil, the labor, and that’s what’s hurting golf. They are making them longer and longer, and the costs keep going up and up and they levy members and they don’t like that. So one has to build golf courses much softer and easier for members.”

Nicklaus: “I also agree with Gary on the costs of things, too. The game is getting too tough and too hard. It is. We are all guilty of that. We need to keep people in the game, not push people out of the game.”

Is there a Big Three today?

Nicklaus: “I think all of us probably agree that Tiger is still the dominant force in the game; even though he’s struggled up until a couple of weeks ago, but there are a lot of other players that are awfully good. You pick Rory and Keegan and you go right on down the list, and Phil and you’ve got a lot of very, very good players today.”

Player: “You definitely have two of the Big Three today, and that’s Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy. The third one, I don’t know who that would be. And I think time will sort that out.

But Jack, Arnold and myself, we won over 350 golf tournaments in our lives, and we won 56 major championships, counting regular and Senior Tour. So it was done over a certain amount of time.

So I think to be fair to these golfers, you’ve got to give them more time to sort out who will be the eventual Big Three.

How do you fix golf’s problems, concerning the loss of so many players the past few years, fewer golf courses being built, etc.?

Nicklaus: “I don’t want to take up all your time in here. That would take too long. The game, I think the PGA of America and their 2.0 program is a progressive program of wanting to bring people in the game and keep people in the game, and it’s a game to try to make the game easier, make the game faster, and make the game less expensive. If we can do those kinds of things, we can bring a lot more people in the game and keep them in the game.

Palmer: “I think some of the programs that are being put to use, The First Tee program is one that can really have a lasting effect on the future of the game of golf. That will be a program that will help the game, and it will help it dramatically in the years to come. It isn’t going to be instant, but the programs that they are doing, one of the reasons I held back was the fact that it was not endowed and it’s now being endowed, and it will be endowed. The worst thing that could happen, you see a First Tee facility open up and then you see it close up. That’s what I was trying to avoid by not joining until I felt confident that it would go on and on. And I think that they are in that position now to make it go forward and to keep it going. The organizations throughout the country are really coming together. They are concentrating more on putting the organizations together with a realistic thought of continuing for these kids that would not otherwise have the opportunity to do it.”

On the golf ball.

Player: “Personally I think what has put the game of golf into a lot of trouble is that the golf ball is going so far, and you’re finding golf pros going to play at different golf clubs, and they are hitting a driver and a 6-iron to a par-5; whereas Jack, I know at Sun City in South Africa, you used to hit a 1-iron and we were in awe. And now they hit a 6-iron, and the courses are thinking, well, the courses are obsolete. So they are lengthening their golf courses unnecessarily. All they had to do was let the technology go with the average golfer, that’s fantastic. But with professional golfers we have not seen big men come into this game yet. We are going to see the Michael Jordans and the likes come into golf, and they are already hitting drives 400 yards. They’re going to be hitting it so far, it’s frightening. What’s going to happen to the golf course? Are they going to make them longer? We can’t go back on the streets anymore here (at Augusta National). So they are going to have to slow the ball down for professional golf at some time or other in the future. Otherwise, I don’t know what’s going to happen to all these golf courses. Are we going to spend more money on it?”

Nicklaus: “The ball is the one single factor that’s caused a lot of what we have. I think that we all know that you can’t really change the game from what it is today. That would be like asking the kids today to go back to wood clubs, and it would be like when we played, asking to go back to wood shafts. And I know the game changes. The game today is a wonderful game. There’s nothing wrong with the game today as it relates to tournament golf. There’s nothing wrong with it when we played. But it’s just a different game. But the game when we played, it was very relevant to the pro and the amateur that they had a game that they could play together. They could go play a pro am, and we would be 20 yards behind them and we would end up in relatively the same area on the tee shots and you could have a conversation. Today, you know, the average golfer cannot relate to the pro. The pro is 100 yards behind him. And by the time the pro gets there, they’ve all hit off the tee. It’s a very different game. It takes too long. I don’t know, there are 17,000 or 18,000 golf courses in the United States, and Augusta National is probably the only golf course in the country that is probably up to date as it relates to tournament golf. And what have they spent here? They have spent a fortune. And can you ask everybody to spend a fortune? No. The golf ball is a very inexpensive thing to fix.”

Palmer: “I agree with that. I think that’s vital that we slow the ball down.”

At the tournament level, has technology and improved equipment made it tougher for the truly great player to separate himself from the merely very good player?

Nicklaus: “Not really. I think the exceptional player always separates himself. I think for the last 10, 12, 15 years, Tiger has separated himself pretty well with the same equipment. No matter how good the equipment is, you’ve still got to get it in the hole. And the guy that gets it in the hole a little bit better usually ends up winning the golf tournament. That’s basically what it is.”

Player: “And you can talk about all of the equipment and you hear so much about long hitting, but there are lots of long hitters that are not winning golf tournaments. And I can tell you one thing, the reason that Tiger Woods has been the best player in the world for X amount of years, because he’s the best putter.”

Article courtesy of USA TODAY

« Back

The Big Three - 2012 Honorary Starters Images

Photos courtesy of AP

« Back

New Book About Gary Player’s History at The Masters Hits Bookstores

On April 1st veteran Augusta Chronicle sports Editor John Boyette will officially launch his latest book, Gary Player – Golf’s Global Ambassador – From South Africa to Augusta.  The book celebrates Player’s remarkable career with a special emphasis on his time at The Masters, and it also will tell how Player is an inspiration not only to his fellow South Africans but to golfers all around the globe.

John got the idea to write this book after learning that Gary Player had been named as an Honorary Starter along with Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer for the 2012 Masters.  “After my first book came out last year, on Jack Nicklaus’s 1986 win at the Masters, it was suggested that I look into doing a book on Gary Player. I thought I knew a lot about his career, but I soon realized I was just scratching the surface. What a remarkable man! I really hadn’t thought about it much before, but I don’t think he gets the credit he deserves for all he’s accomplished. Hopefully this book will help point that out and celebrate his career in Augusta.”

John Boyette has covered twenty-four Masters Tournaments.  His first trip to Augusta National was in 1974 (ironically Gary Player won that year) and during college worked as a scorekeeper on the 6th hole leaderboard.  John has been honored by the Golf Writers Association of America and other media organizations throughout his career for his golf writing.

« Back

A Brief History of the Honorary Starter Tradition at The Masters

In 1963 Jock Hutchison and Fred McLeod hit the first balls off of the 1st tee at Augusta National which signified the official start of The Masters and began the tradition of the Honorary Starter.  The tradition has continued each year, albeit at times non-consecutively, and included some of the greatest players in history.  The trio of Sam Snead, Gene Sarazen and Byron Nelson are probably most associated with the role and on April 5th the next trio of legends will assume the mantle.  The Big Three – Gary Player, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus will step onto the tee to continue this great tradition.

The Honorary Starter duties have been performed by only eight men (Player will become the 9th) all of whom have close ties to Augusta National. 

Jock Hutchison, 1963-73 – was a two time Major winner and won the inaugural Senior PGA Championship in 1937, which was held at Augusta National.

Fred McLeod, 1963-76 - was a founding member of the Senior PGA, who played in the first four Masters.

Byron Nelson, 1981-2001 (non-consecutive) - won five Majors including two Masters.  He may be best remembered for winning an incredible 11 tournaments in a row in 1945.

Gene Sarazen, 1981-99 - won the 1935 Masters with the “shot heard round the world”, a double eagle 2 on the par 5 15th.  He was a seven time Major champion and is only one of five players to win the Grand Slam.

Ken Venturi, 1983 – won the 1964 US Open and spent 35 years as the lead analyst for CBS Sports. 

Sam Snead, 1984-2002 - won seven Majors including three Masters and a record 82 PGA Tour events.

Arnold Palmer, 2007, 2011-2012 – one of the most recognizable names in golf history.  He won seven majors including five Masters.

Jack Nicklaus, 2010 – 2012 – considered to be the greatest golfer in history having won 18 Majors including a record six masters.  He has 73 PGA Tour victories and is one of only five men to win the Grand Slam.

Gary Player, 2012 – the Black Knight is the most successful international golfer in history. Player won nine Majors and 165 tournaments world-wide.  He is only one of five men to win the Grand Slam and is the only player in history to win the Grand Slam on both the PGA Tour and Senior Tour.

« Back

Gary Player to Receive PGA TOUR’s Lifetime Achievement Award

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – World Golf Hall of Fame member Gary Player, considered by many to be the greatest international golfer of all time, has been named the 10th recipient of the PGA TOUR’s Lifetime Achievement Award.  The winner of nine major championships, the modern Grand Slam and 165 tournament titles around the world, including 24 on the PGA TOUR and 19 on the Champions Tour, Player will be honored on May 9 at THE PLAYERS Championship in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. 

Created in 1996, the Lifetime Achievement Award honors individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the TOUR over an extended period of time through their actions on and off the course.  Player joins a distinguished list of past Lifetime Achievement Award recipients: Gene Sarazen; Byron Nelson; Arnold Palmer; Sam Snead; Jack Burke Jr.; Pete Dye; Deane Beman; Jack Nicklaus; and President George H.W. Bush. 
“This is a great honor,” said Player.  “Golf has allowed me to live a truly blessed life, and I have tried my best to give something back to the sport.  Being recognized with true gentlemen of the sport like Gene Sarazen, Byron Nelson and Jack Nicklaus is humbling, and I will continue to help promote and support this wonderful game until the day I die.

When I first arrived in America, I was not sure how I would be received as a foreign-born player, but the PGA TOUR and the American fans were absolutely fantastic and made me feel like one of their own.  It is difficult to put into words what that meant to me and my family, and I will always be thankful for the love and support I have received from this great country.”

“As one of the most accomplished – not to mention most-traveled – players in all of sports, Gary Player’s love of golf and his desire to use his talents to help everyone he comes in contact with make him most deserving of the PGA TOUR’s Lifetime Achievement Award,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem.  “You would be hard pressed to find an aspect of the game or corner of the world that hasn’t been influenced by Gary and his positive attitude over the past 50-plus years.  He epitomizes the phrase ‘lifetime achievement,’ and it will be an honor to recognize him for all of his accomplishments at THE PLAYERS in May.” 

Player was born Nov. 1, 1935, in Johannesburg, South Africa, the third of three children to Harry and Muriel Player. His father was a captain in a gold mine. His mother was a well-educated woman who died of cancer when Gary was 8. Player wrote that her loss “has been a means for me, as it were, to settle some unfathomable debt.”

He chose to try to pay it back as a golfer, although he didn’t take up the game until he was 14. He turned professional four years later, in 1953, and quickly won several times in Africa, Europe and Australia. He came to the United States in 1957, and upon seeing how far the game’s best professionals hit the ball, the 5-foot-7, 160-pound Player intensified his exercise regimen, weakened his strong grip, which encouraged a hook, and set about learning how to carry the ball farther.

The next year, he won the Kentucky Derby Open and finished second at the U.S. Open.  From there, Player was off – in his trademark all-black outfits (inspired by one of his favorite American TV characters, Paladin, from the show “Have Gun Will Travel”); fit and trim physique (from a weight-lifting program and vegetarian diet that were both 30 years ahead of their time); and bunker game (considered one of the greatest ever developed).  He won the 1959 British Open at Muirfield for his first major, made the 1961 Masters his second and the 1962 PGA at Aronimink his third. At the 1965 U.S. Open at Bellerive, Player defeated Kel Nagle in an 18-hole playoff to complete the modern Grand Slam by age 29. 

His other majors included the 1972 PGA Championship, the 1968 and 1974 British Opens and the 1974 and 1978 Masters. The last is perhaps Player’s proudest victory. He began the final round seven strokes out of the lead. But at age 42, he birdied seven of the final 10 holes to shoot 64 and win by a stroke.

As an international ambassador to the game, Player has spent more than three years of his life in airplanes and traveled more than 15 million miles. In each year from 1955 to 1982, Player won at least one sanctioned international tournament, an unequalled 27-year streak. He won the World Match Play title five times, the Australian Open seven times and the South African Open 13 times. In winning the 1974 Brazilian Open, he shot the only 59 ever in a national open.

Player is a renowned golf course architect with more than 300 design projects located throughout the world, including The Links at Fancourt in South Africa, the site of The Presidents Cup 2003.  Player served as International Team captain at that event, as well as in 2005 and 2007. 

Founded in 1984, The Player Foundation built the Blair Athol Schools in Johannesburg, South Africa, which has educational facilities for more than 500 students from kindergarten through grade eight.  The foundation, which has raised more than $50 million in its time, has expanded efforts in all corners of the globe, raising funds for impoverished children through four Gary Player Invitational events – in Europe, China, the United States and South Africa. 

Player was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974.  He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Law from the University of St. Andrews in 1995 and was named South African Sportsman of the Century in 2000.  He earned the Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003 for his dedication to charity and the Order of Ikhamanga (in gold) by President Nelson Mandela of South Africa for excellence in golf and contribution to non-racial sport in his home country.  In 2006, the PGA TOUR honored Player with the Payne Stewart Award, in recognition of philanthropic achievements and the exemplary manner in which he has conducted himself on and off the golf course.

« Back

GARY PLAYER CONGRATULATES GIL HANSE ON BEING AWARDED THE GOLF COURSE PROJECT FOR RIO 2016 OLYMPICS

Gary Player, the International Ambassador of Golf and eighteen-time Major Champion congratulated Gil Hanse on being awarded the golf course design project for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil.

“Congratulations to Gil and his team.  He is a gentleman and I know that he will design a golf course worthy of hosting the 2016 Olympic Games,” said Gary Player.

“This is an important project that is not just about designing a great golf course.  It is much bigger than that.  Golf is returning to the Olympic Games for the first time in more than 100 years and all of us in golf have the responsibility to help make its return a huge success.  I, and our entire company, will do whatever we can to help make golf in the 2016 and 2020 Games meaningful, successful and a permanent part of Olympic competition.”

“We would like to express our sincere thanks to the IOC, IGF, GAC and the Rio 2016 Committee for considering our proposal.  We really enjoyed being part of the selection process and wish the City of Rio de Janeiro and Brazil all the best in hosting both the 2016 Olympic Games and the 2014 World Cup.  Brazilians have a way of making you feel welcome and it is fantastic that the world will have the chance to experience what a wonderful country Brazil is,” said Black Knight International CEO, Marc Player.

“We would also like to congratulate the other finalists.  Any one of them would have created a superb design that the golf world would have been proud of,” he added.

« Back

Gary Player Design’s First Project in Cyprus

The Limni Golf Resort located on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus will soon feature the first ever Gary Player Signature golf course. 

“This is a special project.  We were given one of the more challenging sites we have ever worked with and it is going to be absolutely fantastic,” said Gary Player.

“One of the things that I am so chuffed about is the environmental aspect of this course.  Our golf course will transform an ecological eyesore into a wonderful open space environment, and when you can leave the land better off than it was before you started you have done something positive for the environment. That is very important to me,” he added.

Scott Ferrell, President of Gary Player Design, feels that it will be one of the most dramatic designs in the firm’s history.  “We are building on what was once a copper mine and the parcel of land we are working with has a large crater which our client, the Shacolas Group, has spent the last two years filling with eight million cubic meters of earth.  About 30 meters of the quarry walls will remain exposed and we were able to weave 9 holes through this portion of the site.  In addition, the property is raised up and set back from the shoreline, which provides spectacular long-distance views of the Mediterranean Sea.  It is going to be unique.”

The small mountainous town of Limni is located on the northwest Mediterranean coast of the island.  In addition to the Gary Player Signature Course, the resort will feature an 18-hole course designed by Jack Nicklaus, high-end residential villas and a boutique hotel & spa.

« Back

China Remains an Important Market for Gary Player Design

China has been one of the few bright spots for the global golf course design industry and it appears that the pace of new projects will remain strong in the coming years.  With eight completed golf courses including acclaimed Jinji Lake International Golf Club in Suzhou (host of the European Tour’s 2010 China Open) and Hidden Tiger in Anhui Province, already under its belt Gary Player Design remains one of the most active firms in China. 

“We remain very excited about the future growth potential in China and about the courses we are currently developing,” said Scott Ferrell, President of Gary Player Design.

“Construction on Nine Dragons Lake, a parkland style 18-hole course in Ningbo, a seaport city in the northeast of Zhejiang province in China, is slated to begin in March and we expect to open in either the fall of 2013 or the Spring of 2014.  We are also finishing design of the 36 holes in Changsha called Hunan Longping Jiuhua Science and Technology Park which will feature an 18-hole Gary Player Signature course and an 18-hole Black Knight Design course,” he added.

“Nine Dragons Lake is an interesting project and one that we think will make quite an impression.  It has a number of large lakes, a couple of unique holes built on the remains of an old quarry, and elevated residential surrounding the course.  The design creates an interesting amphitheater effect,” commented Gary Player. 

“The Hunan Longping Jiuhua Science and Technology Park is also an interesting site.  It lies along a river and has quite a bit of topography, which always makes for a visually dramatic design.”

“I always enjoy visiting China and with the number of projects we have underway I will be spending a lot of time there over the coming years.  That is definitely a good thing,” he added.

« Back

Gary Player Design’s Latest Project in India Moves Ahead

Construction on Gary Player Design’s latest project in India at the DLF Golf & Country Club in Gurgaon, just outside of New Delhi, is well underway with the course expected to officially open in the Spring of 2013. 

With the launch of the new course, DLF Golf & Country Club is expected to raise the benchmark for golf facilities in India. The course will be a scenic parkland design with dramatic landscape enhanced by ambient lighting and will feature an island green. In use, will be state-of-the-art ‘Sub Air Systems’ for Mini Verde, considered one of the best green surfaces in the world.

“We think that this course will set a new standard in India.  Our plans for water features and landscaping within a traditional golf layout are very elaborate and will provide a nice contrast to the existing course.”

“I have had a delightful time in India over the past couple of days, and I am so pleased with the progress of our first project here. We are very fortunate to have the opportunity to work with such an esteemed group as DLF. We share a deep interest in quality, and they are dedicating the resources to create something really special,” said Gary Player

Mr. Aakash Ohri, Director, DLF Golf Resorts Ltd. commented “Apart from having dramatic landscape that Gary Player designed courses are known for, this new course will use the most advanced technology for Golf Course Construction prevalent in the world. As always, DLF is committed to green, environment-friendly development. In addition to planting thousands of trees across the course, there will be a lake fed with treated water from our own sewage treatment plant, which will also be used to irrigate the course.”

Gurgaon is an example of just how much of an impact India has had on the globalization of business over the past 25 years.  During the 1990’s Delhi was becoming severely overcrowded and the need to build “satellite cities” emerged.  Given Gurgaon’s proximity to Delhi and the Delhi International Airport and the large swaths of undeveloped farm land it became an obvious expansion target.  The Indian government reformed tax laws to encourage investment and in 1997 GE became the first major corporation to locate a portion of its corporate operations in Guragon.  DLF founder KP Singh was at the forefront of Gurgaon’s development and he famously took the advice of GE’s CEO Jack Welsh to build the largest “corporate backroom” in India.  Other global corporations soon followed and today Gurgaon is one of the most important financial hubs in India as well as one of the largest outsourcing cities in the world.

« Back

GARY PLAYER SCHOOL FOR CHAMPIONS Development Player, Musi Nethunzwi, Wins First Tournament

Musi Nethunzwi followed his fine performance at the SA Amateur Stroke Play with victory at the 72-hole Free State/Northern Cape Open Amateur Championships on Sunday. His triple birdie finish was too good for 2nd-placed Zander Lombard, who was 3 shots adrift of the worthy winner.

“I am the happiest man in the world” stated Musi’s message to his teachers and mentors at GPGE, sent as he waited for prize giving.

The GARY PLAYER SCHOOL FOR CHAMPIONS’ second win in as many weeks was a very popular one. “Mooz”, as he is affectionately known, is loved and respected by all on the amateur circuit as much for his smiling demeanour as for his hard-working ethic and competitive spirit. He epitomises a true development fairytale, having been sponsored and supported by Moregolf and CGGU since finishing school at the end of 2009.

“Musi has shown incredible commitment throughout his time with us at SFC”, says Danny Baleson, pictured with Musi above. “He literally has to get up in the middle of the night to make it to our early morning training and course management sessions, and he is never late. After his disappointing final round at the SA Amateur Stroke Play a week ago (in which Musi shot 77 to finish 11th after starting in the final group in 3rd place) I told him to take heart, as he had performed well and was but one tournament closer to his first victory. And wow! He goes and does it exactly 9 days later… I can’t think of anyone more deserving than Mooz.”

The fairytale is still in the making, as Musi will tee it up with 8 of his fellow SFC students at the SA Amateur Match Play Championships at Mowbray GC from 26th Feb - 2nd March. Musi’s SAGA ranking is expected to breach the top 10 when the new calculations are done and, coupled with fellow development students Sipho Bujela (#14) and Jon Raphunga (#35), the GARY PLAYER SCHOOL FOR CHAMPIONS collaboration is proving to be one of the most succesful golf development initiatives in the history of South African golf.

« Back

Gary Player Receives Johnnie Walker Lifetime Achievement Award

South African golfing legend Gary Player was on Thursday honoured at the Virgin Active Sport Industry Awards for his achievements both on and off the golf course, receiving the Johnnie Walker Lifetime Achievement Award from Rugby World Cup winning captain John Smit.

A week before the Sport Industry Awards ceremony, which brought together almost 1 200 people from across the South African sport industry, the two legends met for the first time at the prestigious Wentworth Golf Club in the UK, where Smit handed over the Johnnie Walker Lifetime Achievement Award in front of the Sport Industry Group cameras.

“Gary has been one of my heroes both as a kid and a grown man, and this is a humbling experience,” said Smit.

“Gary - six decades as a golfer, the only non-American golfer to have won all four Majors, and the fact that you are South African makes us even more proud of what you have done.

“It’s my honour and privilege to hand over the Johnnie Walker Lifetime Achievement Award. From my side, and from the rest of South Africa, congratulations for all you have done for South Africa and for us South Africans around the world.”

In a glittering career, Player has won an astonishing nine Majors, in the process becoming the only non-American to have won all four Majors - the Masters, the US Open, The Open Championship and the PGA Championship. Those incredible achievements have contributed to a remarkable total of 165 career wins.

His achievements off the course are equally impressive. His companies include Gary Player Design, Player Real Estate, and Black Knight Enterprises, which have secured success across sectors including apparel, events, licensing, memorabilia, publishing and in the wine trade. The Gary Player Stud Farm has achieved a worldwide reputation through its breeding and training of thoroughbred race horses, while The Player Foundation has driven social change for almost 30 years since it was founded in 1983.

Putting that achievement firmly down to the power of sport and the value of hard work, Player told Smit: “Golf is an amazing lesson in life. As Nelson Mandela said, sport can change the world. There are no barriers when you are playing sport - it’s the most fantastic thing in the world.

Commenting on the development of the South African sport industry over his lengthy career, Player highlighted the FIFA World Cup 2010 as a landmark moment for the country.

“I think the World Cup had a great effect on our economy, giving people confidence to invest in our country,” he said. “All of our sportsmen and sportswomen have been great ambassadors for our wonderful country, and so we can be very, very proud.

Player concluded: “It’s a great honour to receive this award from John, and from Johnnie Walker, a wonderful sponsor of sport, and not only of tonight’s great event. I want to say to all the other awards recipients tonight well done - we’re proud of you.”

The Sport Industry Awards ceremony, recognising the very best in commercial achievement in South African sport, was held on Thursday evening at Emperors Palace in Johannesburg.

Almost 1 200 members of the South African sporting industry gathered to celebrate the winners of Awards for their work in disciplines including PR, marketing, advertising, sponsorship, community investment, and overall commercial success.

Celebrity guests including Heyneke Meyer, Lucas Radebe, Oscar Pistorius, Kerry McGregor, Mark Fish, Doctor Khumalo, Neil McKenzie, Juan de Jongh, Ryan Sandes, Elana Meyer, Shashi Naidoo, Butch James, Roxy Louw, CJ Van Der Linde and many more rubbed shoulders with key figures from across the industry at the glamorous black-tie annual event, which in its second year has quickly become the number one opportunity for the biggest players in the sport market to come together, network and celebrate their achievements amongst peers.

This year, more than 130 entries to the Awards went through a rigorous two-stage judging process overseen at all times by the Official Independent Adjudicators, Deloitte, with some of the biggest and most respected names in sport involved as judges.

Article courtesy of Sport24

« Back

Gary Player School For Champions’ Haydn Porteous Wins SA Amateur Stroke Play Title

GARY PLAYER SCHOOL FOR CHAMPIONS #1 player, Haydn Porteous, closed out the South African Stroke Play Championship with an even-par 72 in the final round, despite intense pressure from Italy’s Andrea Bolognesi. After leading by 3 with 8 holes to play, Haydn found himself 2 behind with only 5 to play, following a disastrous double-bogey at the par-5 13th. He would have been forgiven for tearing up his victory speech at this point, but instead he dug deep to show why he is known as one of the toughest competitors in South African amateur golf by playing the last 5 holes in 2-under par.

“I don’t know if I want to laugh or cry - this has just been one of most unbelievable moments of my life”, declared Haydn.

Playing with Bolognesi and GARY PLAYER SCHOOL FOR CHAMPIONS’ development star Musi Nethunzwi in the final group, Haydn began his title charge one shot behind the Italian and one ahead of a chasing pack which included Nethunzwi, Brandon Stone and Englishman Toby Tree, winner of last week’s Gauteng North Open Amateur title. After stretching his lead to 3, he bogied the 12th after an errant tee shot and then arrived at his problem hole for the week.

“I haven’t been able to make anything happen at 13 this week and I had no confidence standing on the tee. Walking to the 14th tee, I realized I would have to make a few birdies coming home to put pressure on Andreas.”

Haydn delivered the shot of the tournament at the par-five 15th, where he pulled off a life-changing flop shot to match Bolognesi’s birdie.

”That was the best flop shot of my life,” said Porteous. “I was 30 meters out with no green to work with but it came out perfectly and finished about three foot from the hole.”

At the par-three 17th Bolognesi found the green, albeit a good 15 meters below the hole. The way he had been putting, it appeared he had wrapped up the title, unless Haydn made his 3m chance after a magnificent tee shot. As if scripted by a great novelist, Haydn boxed his birdie putt and Bolognesi missed his par putt to send them up 18 all square. The difference on the long par-4 18th was that Haydn’s approach left him with an uphill putt, whilst Bolognesi flew his approach past the pin to leave himself a treacherous downhiller. Bolognesi missed and the ball rolled 1.5m past. Haydn’s putt lipped out to tap-in distance and, when Bolognesi recorded only his second 3-putt of the round, Haydn tapped in for victory.

“I took my time, stuck to my routine, even when I just faced a tap-in,” said Porteous. “I drank a little water, checked the line, all the normal stuff, just to calm myself down. I was so relieved when that putt dropped, I didn’t know what to do for about 10 seconds.”

Haydn will now join the rest of the hopefuls at the Sanlam SA Amateur Championship at Mowbray Golf Club from February 26. “I’m definitely going to go for the double,” he said. “Being match play with a two round qualifier, it’s a lot more golf, but I’ll be lot more positive than last year.”

All in all it was a great week for GARY PLAYER SCHOOL FOR CHAMPIONS students, with Nethunzwi grabbing 11th place and Callum Mowat 15th, whilst 16-year-old Jason Froneman and development star Jon Raphunga both made the cut and finished inside the top 50. No less than 8 of Haydn’s fellow students will be teeing it up at Mowbray in search of another major title for the GARY PLAYER SCHOOL FOR CHAMPIONS in 2012.

« Back

Gary Player Joins Golf Live 2012 at the London Golf Club

South African golfing legend Gary Player will join victorious European Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie as part of a star-studded cast being lined up to appear at Golf Live in May.

Player, who won eighteen Major titles during a glittering career that included 165 victories worldwide, will be on hand to display his full array of talents in a variety of clinics and skills challenges when it is held at London Golf Club, Kent, from May 18-20, 2012.

James Goode, Golf Live’s event director, said: “It’s our aim at Golf Live to attract some of the biggest names in golf and they don’t come much bigger than Gary Player.

“The word ‘legend’ is often used in the world of sport but it truly applies to a man who has broken down barriers during his time in the game.

“He has been responsible for taking golf to a whole new level through first his career, then his work as a golf designer, as well as devoting much of his life to philanthropic efforts. We are honoured that he has agreed to attend this year’s event, which we are planning to make the biggest and best yet.”

Player said: “The world of golf is evolving all the time and I’m delighted to have been asked to be a part of Golf Live.  The format of the Golf Live events is fantastic for the fans and for the pros because we are really able to interact with the crowd.  I am looking forward to coming back to the UK later this year - it has always been one of my favourite places to visit and compete.”

Golf Live offers unrivalled opportunities for visitors to interact with the biggest names in golf and this year’s event - the third time it has been held - promises to be no exception.

Previous shows have featured Montgomerie, Ian Poulter, Darren Clarke, Paul Casey, Catriona Matthew, Carly Booth and a host of top coaches including David Leadbetter and Denis Pugh.

Event ambassador Montgomerie has already signed up to return for 2012 and a strong lineup of players from both the men’s and ladies’ Tours is set to be announced to appear alongside him and Player in the run-up to May.

Golf Live takes place at the London Golf Club from May 18-20, 2012.

For more information or to buy tickets please click here

« Back

Sardinia – A Mediterranean Gem

The autonomous region of Sardinia has been described as the perfect mix of Italian culture, history, cuisine and luxury without the crowds.  Located off of the Southwestern coast of Italy, Sardinia is the second largest island in the Mediterranean and is one of the true gems in the region.  It will also be home to the first Gary Player Signature designed golf course on the island located at the Is Molas Resort. 

“We are excited about this project,” said Scott Ferrell, President of Gary Player Design.  “Sardinia is a wonderful place to design a golf course.  The climate, the terrain and the natural characteristics of the land are allowing us to create a design that reflects the country itself.  We are especially looking forward to restoring large swaths of Maquis shrub-land which is a major goal of the development and construction process.” He added.

One of the more dramatic features of Sardinia is its spectacular coastline.  Some researchers believe that Sardinia was once part of the “lost continent” of Atlantis and millions of years ago shifting tectonic plates jostled Sardinia and Corsica from the tip of Europe, allowing the landmass to drift toward Northern African and eventually split in two.

The unique nature of the coastline and interior of the island provide a number of options for adventuresome visitors.  The “Giants Tombs,” concentrated mainly in the interior of the island, are mysterious structures that are rooted in myth. Built from stone slabs that in some cases measure 30 meters high, these structures were said to be burial chambers built by giants with supernatural powers.

If the water is more of your style the crystal clear Mediterranean is a perfect choice.  For divers, caves, coves and shipwrecks are plentiful and the Coral Coast, near Alghero, is filled with beautiful russet coral which is used by local jewelers to create pieces indicative of the Sardinian culture and history.  You can also explore Nereo, the Mediterranean’s largest underwater cave complex, and lying in the Gulf of Cagliari, the Isonzo, a WWII wreck that is so well preserved that divers can swim into the engine room.

The meticulously maintained white sand beaches are the perfect retreat for those who want to relax and for those who want a bit of adventure.  The Emerald Coast and Costa Smeralda are considered to be some of the best in the region and the Bosa Marina was awarded “five sails” from the Legambiente Environmental Association for meeting strict standards of water quality, safety and services.  Head south and you will find Chia where windsurfing is king. 

One of the most endearing aspects of Sardinia is the hospitality of the local residents. Since ancient times, hospitality towards strangers has held a place in the Sardinian code of honor.  As they say “You may arrive as a stranger, but you will probably leave as someone’s friend.”  That sounds like good way to end a vacation.

« Back

An “Injection of kickassery” for Callaway’s New Marketing Efforts

When Callaway announced that it had named Justin Timberlake as its new creative director some were wondering what he would really bring to Callaway’s marketing efforts.  Was Callaway moving away from advertising to its core customers – the 50+ set – or was it embarking on a new strategy?  The Callaway campaign launched during the Farmers Insurance Open last month answered some of those questions and showed that Mr. Timberlake can add marketing executive to his moniker of actor/singer. 

The marketing effort features golf pros such as Phil Mickelson and Annika Sorenstam using Callaway products to perform jaw-dropping golf feats on the Las Vegas Strip. One TV ad shows golfer Alvaro Quiros on a floating platform on the strip, hitting a golf ball 310 yards over the Bellagio fountain.  In another, several golfers including Annika Sorenstam hit balls from rooftop to rooftop along the strip. Helicopters fill in for golf carts.

Mr. Timberlake hopes the new marketing will give the sport a “nice injection of kickassery.”  Mr. Timberlake, who has been a paid endorser for Callaway for several years but isn’t in any of the new ads.  He worked with Factory Design Labs, a Denver ad agency that began creating the new pitch in April 2011.

Callaway is taking a cue from what is happening on the course.  Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson, Bill Haas, Ryo Ishakawa and a crop of other emerging young superstars are taking center stage and hopefully drawing a younger audience back to the game. 

“Being hip and contemporary has to be part of the marketing plan” in order to attract new and younger golfers to the brand, said Jeff Colton, Callaway’s senior vice president of global brand and product.

Golf has been on the decline globally over the past number of years and the growth prospects are not overly encouraging.  Equipment manufacturers, country clubs, TV networks and product manufacturers all have to find a new audience to grow their revenue because their tried and true consumer is spending less.  The question that needs to be answered is whether or not the youth market can prove an effective revenue source.

Despite its foray into “extreme golf” it is safe to say that Callaway will not forget about who its number one customer is.  No matter whether or not it succeeds at least this OEM is stepping out of the box.

Information for this article was derived from of Suzanne Vranica at the Wall Street Journal

« Back

The Mind and How it Affects Performance On and Off of the Course

A recent study, The Genworth Pro Caddy Report, commissioned by Genworth Financial the Official Statistics Partner of The European Tour, delved into the psychological side of professional European golf and provided some interesting insight as to how the psyche affects one’s game on and off of the course.  It highlighted the parallels between professional golf and the business world and identified several common characteristics such as changing conditions, the role played by opponents, the importance of self-belief and the setting of goals, as well as the need to deal with day experiences or performances swiftly in order to move forward.

The report revealed that despite playing at the highest level, over half (51%) of European Tour professionals felt that their performance was below plan. In addition, 48% of players who believed they were performing poorly were predominantly focusing on past performances and contaminating their mental state for the next tournament.

“This is an interesting study and I hope that more pros pay attention to the results,” said Gary Player.  “I have always believed that an essential part of winning is being able to forget a bad shot immediately and concentrate on hitting your next shot perfectly.  I have seen, on far too many occasions, players who literally let one shot ruin a round or an entire tournament.  This is perhaps one of the most difficult things to do in sport – not dwelling on the negative.  Most of the pros on tour are highly competitive people who by nature beat themselves up when they do not perform their best.  When you let your emotions get the best of you your game usually goes out the window,” he added.

Dr. Karl Morris, Sports Psychologist and Mind Coach to recent major winners Darren Clarke, Graeme McDowell, Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel, said of the findings: “Both professional golfers and business executives often fall into the same traps. When setting goals for the year we tend to focus on the end outcome goal, whether that is tournaments won or a sales target. If you measure success purely on the outcome you may end up being disappointed even though you might have performed well. More emphasis should be given to ensuring the correct processes are in place.

“When dealing with poor performances, many professional golfers fail to address their feelings of disappointment and hence allow these feelings to impact their future performance. Similarly in the business world, taking disappointment home with you affects family and social life, which starts a vicious circle and affects your work life in turn. Writing down your thoughts is a much better idea than dwelling on them – analyse what was good, what was not and how you can improve.”

« Back

Volvo Golf Champions preview

The European Tour remains in South Africa this week for the Volvo Golf Champions tournament. A strong field has assembled at Fancourt to do battle for the largest tournament purse on the African continent.

Last year, the inaugural Volvo Golf Champions was contested in Bahrain where Paul Casey took the title by a single shot from Miguel Angel Jimenez and Peter Hanson.

There will be no repeat this time out. Firstly because of the change of venue - it was decided in August of last year that the tournament should not return to Bahrain this year because of the uncertain political situation in the Arab country. The Royal Golf Club in Bahrain will, however, remain on the roster for future Volvo Champions events. Secondly, because Paul Casey dislocated his shoulder over the Christmas break, while on a snowboarding holiday.

The field is made up of players who won a tournament on last year’s European Tour schedule plus any current Tour members who have racked up 10 or more European Tour victories during their careers.

With valuable World Ranking points on offer, there’s a strong line-up including 2011 Major winners Charl Schwartzel and Darren Clarke. Other former Major champions in the field include: Ernie Els, Paul Lawrie, Louis Oosthuizen, Padraig Harrington, Reief Goosen and Jose Maria Olazabal.

Designed by Gary Player and opened in 2000, the Links at Fancourt is one of South Africa’s very best courses. In its construction, some 750,000 cubic metres of earth were moved to create the links-style layout. In 2003, the course was the venue for the Presidents Cup. That event ended in a tie after a playoff for the Cup between Ernie Els and Tiger Woods. The pair completed three holes, all halved in par, before fading light encouraged team captains Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus shake hands.

Venue: The Links at Fancourt, George, South Africa
Date: Jan 19-22
Course stats: par 73, 7,271 yards
Purse: €2,000,000 Winner: €350,000
Defending Champion: Paul Casey (-20)

TV Coverage:
Thursday 19 - Live on Sky Sports 2 from 11am
Friday 20 - Live on Sky Sports 3 from 11am
Saturday 21 - Live on Sky Sports 3 from 11am
Sunday 22 - Live on Sky Sports 3 from 11am

Player Watch:
Robert Rock - The Englishman was ninth last week in Johannesburg after leading through 36-holes. He was eighth in last year’s season-ending Dubai World Championship and is proving himself to be one of the most consistent players on Tour. Look for him to step up another level this week.

Louis Oosthuizen - A winner on his last outing in the Africa Open, Oostuhuizen has finished in the top-10 in his last six European Tour starts hauling in almost €1 million in the process. He’ll be tough to beat this week.

Paul Lawrie - Second in the Dubai World Championship, the Scot has been working hard on his game over the winter break. He’ll be hoping his first start of 2012 might kick-start a big season.

Key holes:
The finish - With an exciting par 5, par 3, par 5 conclusion to the round, this course lends itself to the possibility of big swings right at the death. Look for someone to make a blistering birdie/eagle strewn finish to tear up the leaderboard.

Article courtesy of Fergus Bisset, Golf Monthly

« Back

Blair Atholl Community School visits the World of Golf

The Blair Atholl Community school was built by the Gary Player Foundation in 1983 with the aim of not only providing quality education to disadvantaged children from the region but also to take their experience beyond the walls of the classroom by providing a variety of activities that scholars can participate in.

One of these activities is golf and since 2003 The Gary Player Golf Experience has been involved with the Blair Atholl community project. Every week, 2 coaches visit the school to teach around 25 learners golf. On 2 November 2011 their annual journey culminated in a fun visit to the World of Golf where they participated in various golfing disciplines and were treated to a lunch.

In addition to SuperSport’s ongoing sponsorship of SuperSport Masterclasses and Call for Help clinics at the World of Golf, Let’s Play also got involved by sponsoring T shirts and caps for all the children on the day. The visit to the World of Golf ended with the youngsters being rewarded with performance certificates in a prize giving ceremony.

The visit to the World of Golf is a real highlight for the kids and the Gary Player Golf Experience and MoreGolf look forward to many more years of enriching their lives through golf.

« Back

Big Names Tee-off at Fancourt

Top Golfing talent head for Fancourt on South Africa’s famous Garden Route for the Volvo Golf Championship next week

Some of the world’s top golfers including Major winners, Darren Clarke, Ernie Els and Padraig Harrington are heading for Fancourt on the Garden Route in South Africa as they prepare to compete in the Volvo Golf Champions in the European tour’s first-ever true “tournament of champions” event next week.

The tournament starts next Friday, 19 January, for 4 days and will be the first fully sanctioned European tour event ever played on South African soil.  The event is being hosted by the world-acclaimed Links at Fancourt, recently voted number one course in the country and originally designed by South African golf legend Gary Player.

Other high-profile players competing include Major winners Retief Goosen, Paul Lawrie, Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel, and European Tour stars such as Thomas Bjorn, Nicolas Colsaerts, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Tom Lewis, Matteo Manassero, Colin Montgomerie and Alexander Noren in competing for a 350000 Euros (R3,6million) first prize, and a prize fund of 2million Euros (R21million).  Sadly, England’s Paul Casey will not be defending his title due to a shoulder injury.

“I love playing in South Africa and have won five of my European tour titles here,” said Els. “I have great memories of playing at the Links at Fancourt, in professional events and when on holiday here. South African golf is in great shape at the moment, which is apparent by the number of South Africans in the field.”

Three-time Major winner Harrington is also looking forward to a fresh start in 2012 with a recent return to form boding well for this charismatic man from Dublin.  Swede Robert Karlsson, winner of the 2010 Dubai World Championship, qualifies as a member of the elite group of tour stars including Goosen, Jimenez and Montgomerie, who have more than 10 career wins on the European tour. The rest of the field is limited to tour players who have won an event on the previous year’s international schedule.

For more information visit about Fancourt click here .  For more information about the Volvo Golf Championship please click here Follow on Twitter on @FANCOURTSA.

« Back

Masters Field Taking Shape

A total of 92 players are set to start this year’s Masters although that figure could rise between now and April.

Billy Payne, Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters Tournament, said this week that 104 players have been invited to the 2012 Masters scheduled to take place from April 5th-8th.

Augusta National legends Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer will join together as honorary starters.  Player became the first international winner of The Masters when he captured the title in 1961 and went on to win the tournament a further two times.  The South African made his 52nd and final appearance as a competitor at Augusta in 2010.  Player, Palmer and Nicklaus, known as The Big Three, have won 13 Masters titles, including seven consecutive victories from 1960-1966.

Talking of the 92 expected to start, a list that includes six amateurs and 14 first-time participants, Payne said: “We are delighted to welcome this impressive collection of players to Augusta National Golf Club in 2012.

“We are equally enthusiastic to showcase our golf course and the world’s best competitors for the enjoyment of golf fans around the globe.”

Two opportunities still remain to qualify for the 2012 Masters.

* Those who win a PGA Tour event that awards a full-point allocation for the season-ending Tour Championship prior to the 2012 tournament.

* Those who finish in the top 50 of the Official World Golf Ranking published during the week prior to the Masters.

Last year’s Masters, won by South African Charl Schwartzel, comprised 99 players.

The 2012 tournament will mark the 76th playing of the Masters.

Current field:

Aaron Baddeley (Australia)
Sang-moon Bae (South Korea)
Thomas Bjorn (Denmark)
Keegan Bradley (US)
Jonathan Byrd (US)
Angel Cabrera (Argentina)
Patrick Cantlay (US)
Paul Casey (England)
Kevin Chappell (US)
KJ Choi (Korea)
Stewart Cink (US)
Tim Clark (South Africa)
Darren Clarke (Northern Ireland)
Fred Couples (US)
Ben Crenshaw (US)
Jason Day (Australia)
Luke Donald (England)
Jason Dufner (US)
Simon Dyson (England)
Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (Spain)
Ross Fisher (England)
Rickie Fowler (US)
Harrison Frazar (US)
Jim Furyk (US)
Sergio Garcia (Spain)
Robert Garrigus (US)
Lucas Glover (US)
Bill Haas (US)
Anders Hansen (Denmark)
Peter Hanson (Sweden)
Padraig Harrington (Ireland)
Charles Howell III (US)
Trevor Immelman (South Africa)
Fredrik Jacobson (Sweden)
Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spain)
Dustin Johnson (US)
Zach Johnson (US)
Robert Karlsson (Sweden)
Martin Kaymer (Germany)
Kyung-Tae Kim (South Korea)
Kelly Kraft (US)
Matt Kuchar (US)
Martin Laird (Scotland)
Bernhard Langer (Germany)
Randal Lewis (US)
Sandy Lyle (Scotland)
Bryden Macpherson (Australia)
Hunter Mahan (US)
Hideki Matsuyama (Japan)
Graeme McDowell (Northern Ireland)
Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland)
Phil Mickelson (US)
Corbin Mills (US)
Larry Mize (US)
Edoardo Molinari (Italy)
Francesco Molinari (Italy)
Kevin Na (US)
Sean O’Hair (US)
Mark O’Meara (US)
Geoff Ogilvy (Australia)
Jose Maria Olazabal (Spain)
Louis Oosthuizen (South Africa)
Ryan Palmer (US)
Ian Poulter (England)
Alvaro Quiros (Spain)
Chez Reavie (US)
Justin Rose (England)
Rory Sabbatini (South Africa)
Charl Schwartzel (South Africa)
Adam Scott (Australia)
John Senden (Australia)
Webb Simpson (US)
Vijay Singh (Fiji)
Brandt Snedeker (US)
Craig Stadler (US)
Scott Stallings (US)
Brendan Steele (US)
Henrik Stenson (Sweden)
Steve Stricker (US)
David Toms (US)
Bo Van Pelt (US)
Scott Verplank (US)
Nick Watney (US)
Bubba Watson (US)
Tom Watson (US)
Mike Weir (Canada)
Lee Westwood (England)
Mark Wilson (US)
Gary Woodland (US)
Tiger Woods (US)
Ian Woosnam (Wales)
YE Yang (South Korea)

Article courtesy of SkySports

« Back

Some Positive Signs for the Global Golf Market

The global golf market has seen tough times over the past few years, but there are some signs that the market could be on the rebound.  The National Golf Foundation/Royal & Ancient global golf course database has identified 650 courses in planning or under construction outside of the USA and there are some indications that a general stabilization is occurring.

“It seems to me that we have hit bottom and things are slowly starting to improve,” said Gary Player.

“I don’t expect to see meteoric growth in real estate development projects like we did in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, but I am definitely encouraged.  Asia will continue to be the major growth market for new development while the established markets like the USA and Western Europe will concentrate more on course re-designs and improvements to existing facilities to encourage membership growth and real estate sales.  I am also positive about Russia and Brazil where we have seen indications of new project activity and when the political unrest settles, many developments in The Middle East/Northern Africa will get back on track.”

“The 2016 Olympic Games in Rio should also be a catalyst.  Many nations will have to jumpstart their development programs in order to field a team and that can only help the growth of the game in non-traditional markets,” he added.

In what seems to be a steady stream of bad news about the state of the golf industry it may be somewhat difficult to pick out what the positives indicators are, but they are there.  For example, India, one of the hottest markets in the world, has a huge potential for growth.  According to KPMG’s September 2011 Country Shapshot: India,  if in the next 10 years, the proportion of active golfers doubles to 300,000, then India would have to build between 90-100 new courses to accommodate the increased demand.  That bodes well for golf course design firms, real estate developers and manufacturers.

There are also positives coming from Western Europe.  A survey conducted by A4G, supported by the Golf Club Managers’ Association (GCMA) and de Haan & Associates, of 105 golf clubs in the United Kingdom reveals that over the past 12 months 46% of clubs have increased membership, 57% generated bar and catering sales increases, 48% saw green fee sales increase, and 71% experienced no cash flow difficulties.  In addition, year-end figures from Golfbreaks.com, Europe’s largest golf travel company, show a 13 percent growth in customer numbers over the past 12 months with a marked rise in interest for emerging locations such as Cyprus and Morocco (bookings to Cyprus are up 47 percent from last year).

The key for the golf market, as for all other global markets, is economic improvement.  The continuing worry about disposable household income has depressed rounds played in most regions, but recent economic signs in the US and the apparent stabilization of the European debt crisis could help even out, or reverse this trend over the next few years.  Let’s all hope for a prosperous 2012.

« Back

Reflections On Tour for the 2011 Season

Looking back on the 2011 golf season can we say that it was one of the more interesting seasons in recent memory, or was it what we expected when predictions were made at the end of 2010? 

Arguably the best story in 2011, and one that has not received the coverage it deserves, is Yani Tseng.  The 22-year-old Taiwanese phenom dominated women’s golf winning 12 tournaments including 2 Majors, held the No. 1 ranking for 43 consecutive weeks and had the second-highest annual money winnings on the LPGA tour in history.  Most players never reach 12 wins during their career and achieving that total in single season is impressive.  Her performance should be recognized as one of the finest seasons in golf history.

The Majors were nothing short of fantastic.  Charl Schwartzel birdied the final four holes to capture his first Green Jacket.  Fittingly, his victory came on the 50th anniversary of Gary Player’s first Masters victory in 1961 which marked the first time an International player had ever won the Masters.  Rory McIlroy shrugged off a disastrous final round at Augusta National and crushed the field at the US Open cruising to an eight-shot victory.  Darren Clarke proved that the “old guys” still have some game and hoisted the Claret Jug at Royal St George’s.  And Keegan Bradley became the first player in recorded history to make a triple bogey in the final nine holes of a major and go on to win the tournament. 

Luke Donald finished the year as the number one ranked player in the world and is the first to ever win the money title on the PGA Tour and the Order of Merit on the European PGA Tour.  Winning both money titles is an amazing achievement.  The level of consistency that Donald had to display is extremely difficult to achieve on one tour let alone on two.  Basically, Luke could not play poorly during any tournament he entered and that is exactly what he did.

Bill Haas won the FedEx Cup and The Tour Championship in one day and took home a whopping $11.4 million.  The prize money aside Bill is putting together a super career so far and has the game to contend for Majors in 2012.

The US Team continued to dominate the Presidents Cup winning its fourth consecutive Cup, the sixth if you take into account the 2003 competition which ended in a tie.  The next test is the Ryder Cup which has been far more difficult for the Americans.  Can the US continue its strong play and bring the cup back home?

Then there was Tiger.  After a two year, 26 tournament hiatus Tiger returned to the winner’s circle with a win at the Chevron World Challenge.  That came on the heels of a strong showing at the Australian Open and a decisive victory over Aaron Baddeley that clinched the Presidents Cup for the US team.  We don’t know if Tiger will return to his past dominance on the course, but there is no doubt that he will remain the top story in 2012.

« Back

Gary Player Thrilled to be a Finalist for Rio 2016 Olympic Games Golf Course

The selection of who will design the golf course for the 2016 Olympic Games tightened with the field cut to eight firms and the final choice expected in early 2012.  Gary Player shares a few thoughts on the importance of the project and why the opportunity is so special. 

The Opportunity:

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity.  Golf has been absent from the Olympic games since 1904 and being given the chance to be a part of its return is fantastic.  I am truly honored to have been selected as a finalist.”

“One of the reasons I am so excited about the project is that it will help golf continue to grow globally.  If you look at the game today it has become a truly international sport - you see top players from all over the world vying for, and winning Majors.  The Olympics will expose millions of people in non-traditional golf markets to the game and that is great for the sport.” 

Brazil:

“A wonderful country with some of the nicest people I have ever met.  I won the Brazilian Open in 1972 and 1974 and the fans were terrific.  Even though I was a foreigner winning their National Championship they treated me as if I were a Brazilian.”

“Having the chance to work in emerging golf markets like Brazil has always been one of the most rewarding parts of my career as a golfer and a golf course designer.  Golf has given me a life that I could have only dreamed about and I feel that I have a responsibility to give something back to the game.  That is one of the reasons I played all over the world, many times in tournaments that no one outside of the host country had ever heard of.  The game is so special to me I want to share it with as many people as possible.  This facility can, and should be, a catalyst for golf in Brazil long after the Olympic competition is complete.”

The Site:

“Earlier this year our design team and I visited the Reserva Marapendi site for the course.  We wanted to get a real sense of how a course could be laid out and what the challenges would be if we were awarded the design contract.  It is truly a blank canvas and reminds me of some of the sites on which we have worked in South Africa especially The Links at Fancourt, which hosted the 2003 Presidents Cup.  The designer will need to be creative to deliver something special and sustainable long-term.”

« Back

Callaway Golf Appoints Justin Timberlake as Creative Director

Callaway Golf Company (NYSE: ELY) has established an advanced, creative position for multiple Emmy and Grammy Award-winning actor, musician and avid golfer Justin Timberlake.

A Callaway Staff Professional since 2008, Timberlake will lend his versatile talents as a Creative Director for the Callaway portfolio of Brands. Timberlake will engage in the development and execution of high-level concepts within Callaway’s marketing activities and offer wide-ranging consultation on the visual representation of the Brand. The multi-year agreement was announced by Jeff Colton, Sr. Vice President of Global Brand and Product, Callaway Golf.

“We have worked with Justin for more than three years now and have been thoroughly impressed with the level of quality he brings to everything he is involved with,” saidColton. “Justin is an extremely gifted artist and an avid golfer with a deep passion for Callaway products, and his creative energy will serve us well as we connect with the next generation of golfers. The opportunity to bring someone with his multifaceted talents into our creative matrix is very rare, and his input has already made an impact.”

Timberlake’s initial work as a Creative Director for Callaway will support the Company’s 2012 RAZR line of premium golf equipment, including the recently introduced RAZR Fit(TM) Driver.  Callaway’s 2012 product line will be launched in the first quarter of next year via the Company’s upcoming “Epic Demo” campaign being shot this week inLas Vegasacross several iconic city landmarks, including the Bellagio Fountain.  Timberlake’s contributions to Callaway’s Epic Demo campaign, which features Callaway staff professionals Phil Mickelson and Alvaro Quiros, includes collaboration with the creative teams and Director Joseph Kahn.

“It’s always great when professional projects surround subjects that I am passionate about, and the sport of golf and my work with Callaway definitely fit that criteria,” said Timberlake. “I’m looking forward to bringing a fresh perspective to this category — focusing on the social aspects, fun and lifestyle associated with Callaway and playing golf.”

In 2008, Timberlake became the first non-tour player to join Callaway’s team of Staff Professionals that includes Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els, Alvaro Quiros and icons such as Gary Player.  Earlier this year, he participated in a Father’s Day-inspired social media contest that awarded equipment via Callaway’s Facebook page.

A passionate golfer, Timberlake’s rising status in the sport also includes annual hosting duties at the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open PGA Tour event inLas Vegas,NVand participation in the major Pro Am tournaments.  Along with his parents, Timberlake owns and operates Mirimichi, a world-class championship golf course and learning facility located near his hometown of Memphis.

« Back

Wildlands Conservation Trust Receives R1 Million Donation From Gary Player Invitational

Golfing legend Gary Player and Coca-Cola, the presenting sponsor of the Gary Player Invitational (GPI), recently visited the impoverished Buffelsdraai community in KwaZulu-Natal to announce an estimated R1 million donation to assist with the work of the Wildlands Conservation Trust.

“At Wildlands our aim is to uplift rural and peri-urban communities through the creation of “green jobs” for the poor and to restore the natural environment of these communities. One of our successes is a waste-preneur programme which sees members of the community barter their recycling in exchange for bicycles, building materials and food,” commented Widlands CEO, Dr Andrew Venter.

Gary Player, who has long been a dedicated environmentalist whose philosophy in his business operations has always been to respect the land and its natural beauty and biodiversity, was joined by Lucas Radebe, Coca-Cola representatives and several media when he visited the Wildlands project in Buffelsdraai in November this year. The visit also involved the presentation of Coca-Cola bicycles to the country’s 10 top waste-preneurs, for their efforts in each collecting 3 000kgs of recyclable waste.

As the 10 top waste-preneurs were handed their bright, red, shiny bicycles the expressions on their faces of complete joy, reflected what something as simple as a bicycle, which we take for granted, means to a person in an impoverished community, and it ultimately means improved access to work and education.

Wildlands will use its estimated R1 million donation to buy 665 bicycles supplied by Qhubeka, a fellow KwaZulu-Natal non-profit organisation dedicated to using bicycles to provide a cost effective, healthy and effective mobility solution for South Africa’s communities. Wildlands has worked with Qhubeka to develop a ‘Bikes for Life’ model, through which green-preneurs either barter their recycling for bicycles or are rewarded with a bicycle for their exceptional effort. The bicycles are assembled in Pietermaritzburg through a partnership between Wildlands, Qhubeka and World Bicycle Relief.

Coca-Cola selected Wildlands as a major beneficiary because its goals are strongly aligned to the company’s ‘Live for a Difference’ campaign, which focuses on entrepreneurship and recycling. “Our commitment, through our ‘Live for a Difference’ sustainability programme, is to making a positive difference in the world by redesigning the way we work and live so that sustainability is part of everything we do. We are using our partnership with the Gary Player Invitational to push this agenda,” said Bill Egbe, the President of Coca-Cola South Africa.

By supporting Wildlands, Coca-Cola is also able to demonstrate its commitment to climate protection and active healthy living. “The bicycles, as a form of transport, will contribute to the reduction of the community’s carbon footprint and enable its members to remain actively involved in a form of physical activity,” said Egbe.

The South African GPI, which features Major golf champions, celebrities and top-flight businessmen rubbing shoulders on the fairways, is the final of the four-tournament international series that includes the United Kingdom, United States, and China. Throughout its history the GPI series has raised more than R250-million for its beneficiaries worldwide.

« Back

Can Luke Donald Make History in Dubai?

The Race to Dubai concludes this weekend at the season-ending Dubai World Championship with World No. 1 Luke Donald poised to make history by becoming the only player to ever capture the money list title on both the US and European PGA Tours.  The only scenario where Donald does not complete this historic feat is if Rory McIlroy wins and Donald to finish outside of the top nine. 

“I think it’s important for me for this event that it’s not an anticlimax that I’m not the only one that has a chance. It’s focused my attention to do what I do, and go up there and try and compete and win this event.  I’ve got to try not to worry about Rory. Fortunately, I’ve almost got 58 other people on my side, if any one of those win, they are doing me a favour. But again my mindset is really to go out there and try to win the event and take care of business that way,” said Donald.

There have only been two players in history to win the money title on both tours – Gary Player and Greg Norman.  Player won the US PGA Tour Money List in 1961 and was the leading money winner on the European PGA Tour in 1971.  Norman captured three US titles in 1986, 1990 and 1995 and the European Tour Order of Merit in 1982.

“I am pulling for Luke.  Winning the Order of Merit and the Money List title in one year would be quite an accomplishment.  Luke has had to travel extensively and play well every week.  I can tell you from personal experience that it is not an easy thing to do,” said Gary Player.

« Back

A Strong Field for the Volvo Golf Champions Event at Gary Player Designed The Links at Fancourt

The field for the European Tour’s Volvo Golf Champions event, which is going to be played at The Links at Fancourt from 19th to 22nd January, is getting stronger.  Colin Montgomerie, Louis Oosthuizen, Matteo Manassero and Tom Lewis are the latest players to confirm, joining other top players including Paul Casey, Charl Schwartzel, Retief Goosen and Thomas Bjørn.

The Volvo Golf Champions has a limited field, with no cut and is open to European Tour players who have won an event on the previous year’s European Tour International Schedule and Tour Members with more than ten European Tour victories.

For more information about the event please click here

« Back

Gary Player Chosen As Finalist To Design 2016 Olympics Golf Course In Rio

On Friday, December 2nd, the eight finalists of the Golf Course Architectural Services RFP were announced. The winning participants will design the executive project for the Olympic venue, to be built in Rio de Janeiro to welcome golf’s return to the Olympic Games program in 2016, after 112 years of absence.

These are the contest finalists in alphabetical order: Gary Player Design, Greg Norman Golf Course Design, Hanse Golf Design, Hawtree Ltd., Nicklaus Design, Renaissance Golf, Robert Trent Jones II and Thomson-Perret Golf Course Architects.

The awarded company name will be disclosed early in 2012, on a date to be announced by Rio 2016™.

Courtesy of Rio2016.org

« Back

The Nedbank Golf Challenge Enters Its 31st Year

In 1978 Gary Player, South Africa’s Sportsman of the Century, and one of the most revered golfers in the world, sat down with his friend Sol Kerzner, the developer of the Sun City Resort, and proposed launching a new golf tournament that would bring the world’s top players to South Africa.  Player wanted to offer something that no other tournament in the world did - a $1 million first place check.  Kerzner loved the concept and the Million Dollar Challenge officially launched in 1981.

Part of Sol Kerzner’s vision for the growth of Sun City was to build a championship golf course.  A few years before the Million Dollar Challenge was launched Gary Player was commissioned to design and build what Kerzner termed “the finest course on the African continent.”  Thus, the Gary Player Country Club (GPCC) was born and was completed in time to host the first Million Dollar Challenge event.  The GPCC did achieve the recognition that Kerzner demanded and today still remains one of the top golf courses in the world.

“This is a very special tournament and place to me.  When we launched the Million Dollar Challenge we knew we were taking a risk.  Prize money of that amount was definitely not the norm and we were not sure how it would be received, especially when we made the tournament a ‘winner takes all’ format.  We hoped to attract a select number of the world’s best and let them battle it out.  Thankfully the tournament was a success in large part to friends like Jack Nicklaus, Raymond Floyd, Seve Ballesteros, Johnny Miller, Lee Trevino, Nick Faldo, Greg Norman and Bernard Langer.  I am forever thankful for their support and friendship,” said Gary Player.

On 1 December, the Million Dollar Challenge, now known as the Nedbank Golf Challenge (NGC) celebrates its 31st year.  Twelve of the world’s top players will descend upon the Gary Player Country Club in Sun City, South Africa to see who will take home the coveted NGC trophy and the $1.2 million first prize check.

This year’s field features the current World Number One Luke Donald, two former World Number One’s Martin Kaymer and Lee Westwood, Masters Champion Charl Schwartzel and British Open winner Darren Clarke.  The combined 12-man field has captured 18 titles in 2011 alone.

“Africa’s Major” has undergone a few changes over the years, mainly awarding prize money to all of the players (until 1988 the tournament was a “winner take all” event) and in 2010 the addition of the Nedbank Senior Challenge.  The Senior’s Challenge started as a commemorative event to help celebrate NGC’s 30th anniversary and has now morphed into a full-blown tournament.  The eight-man field includes six Major Champions - Bernhard Langer, Mark Calcavecchia, Tom Lehman, Ian Woosnam and Nick Price -  along with three time NCC winner David Frost and defending champion Jeff Sluman. 

Whoever hoists the NGC and the Senior Challenge trophy will surely have bested a field of champion golfers on a truly championship golf course.

For more information about the Nedbank Golf Challenge please click here

« Back

Golf’s TV Appeal Is Growing Globally

Many of us remember the days when the US PGA Tour season came to an end and so did golf on TV save for a few Skins Games, or made for TV events.  The coverage of global golf tournaments was limited, and if you were in the USA you turned to The Golf Channel to watch unfamiliar players, in unfamiliar tournaments, playing for titles you had probably never heard of.  That trend has clearly changed as golf’s appeal has struck a global note with both aficionados and networks alike.  The Nedbank Golf Challenge (NGC) which begins on Thursday December 1 at the Gary Player Country Club in Sun City, South Africa will be televised live to over 140 countries world-wide and will have an expected audience of 1.4 billion viewers.

One would expect large viewership numbers and global broadcasting for events like the Majors, the Ryder Cup, The Presidents Cup and The HSBC World Golf Championship in China, but not for an event that features a field of only 12 players, albeit 12 of the world’s best.  The scope of the global coverage of the event is impressive, and is yet another example of how golf is expanding its reach and not solely relying on the traditional US and European markets.  The coverage for the NGC follows solid viewership of the The World Cup in China and the Australian Open and Australian PGA Championship. 

“I’m not surprised at all,” said Marc Player, CEO, Black Knight International.  “If you look at the trends in golf course design over the past decade the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China) countries, The Middle East and Eastern Europe is where the bulk of the new design projects are emanating from.  It makes sense that as these countries build more courses the number of people playing golf and watching the sport increases.  TV networks are smart.  They are staying on top of the growth of the game and translating it into increased viewership numbers.”

The International golf channels that will broadcast the Nedbank Golf Challenge include, Australia (Fox), Greece (Netned Hellas), Japan (Jupiter Golf), Singapore (StarHub), Spain (Canal +), UK and Ireland (BSkyB), Middle East (Showtime), USA and Canada (The Golf Channel), American Armed Forces Worldwide, Reuters, Indonesia (Astro Sport), Msia (Astro Sport), Brunei (Astro Sport), Korea (X Sport) and India (Sony), Hong Kong (PCCW), Thailand (True TV), Finland (Finsport), Asia (Eurosport).

Some 48 countries in Africa will have live coverage through SuperSport.

For more information please click here.

« Back

What Is The Laureus Sport For Good Foundation?

“Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair.” Nelson Mandela, Laureus World Sports Awards, Monaco 2000.

Maybe you have seen Nelson Mandela’s words before, but what do those words mean to a group of sporting legends and why do they devote so much time and effort to supporting the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation?  Simply, because it is one of the most effective and important charitable organizations in the world that has literally helped change the lives of tens of thousands of children. 

Founded in 2000 by Daimler Benz and Richemont, the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation celebrates the universal power of sport to bring people together as a force for good and uses the passion that sport inspires to effect social change across the globe.  It supports programs that help young people overcome the limitations imposed by social issues including poverty, homelessness, war, violence, drug abuse, discrimination and AIDS. 

“Children cannot choose their parents, nor can they control the environment into which they are born.  If we can give these kids a chance at a better life then we have truly done a good thing,” said Laureus Academy Founding Member Gary Player.

Today the Laureus Global Foundation is supported by its Global Partners Mercedes-Benz, IWC Schaffhausen and Vodafone and a growing network of subsidiary National Foundations in Argentina, France, Germany, Italy, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland and the United States.

Edwin Moses, the Foundation’s Chairman, summed up Laureus’ mission with the following words: “As long as there are people on the ground who are inspired enough to give up their time to set up these projects, you’ll find Laureus there to support them… These are men and women who achieved what they did in sport because they never gave up. That energy and drive now goes into Laureus, and the beneficiaries are underprivileged youngsters around the world.”

You can learn more about the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation here.

« Back

Two Weeks, Two Events, 20 Million For Charity

In the span of two short weeks the Gary Player Invitational charity golf tournaments in Shanghai, China and Durban, South Africa bucked the global economic downturn, raising nearly R20 million for at-risk children across the globe and pushing the total to R22 million for the 2011 year.

The Gary Player Invitational series, “A Union of Golf and Giving”, began twelve years ago with one event in South Africa benefitting underprivileged children’s education and has since grown to a global series comprising four events on four Continents – USA, Asia, Africa and Europe.  The monies raised through the charity golf tournaments and auctions have helped thousands of children build a better life, and have provided them a chance to obtain the education they need to become successful adults and break away from the poverty, crime and dangers of their upbringing.

“Every year we marvel at the generosity of our sponsors, guests, celebrities and professional golfers who donate their time and money to make these events the great success they have become,” said Marc Player, CEO, Black Knight International.

“My father told me a story a few years ago that sums up what The Player Foundation is really about.  He was walking down the street in Cape Town and heard someone calling his name.  He looked around, but didn’t see anyone until he looked up at an office building where a man was yelling out of the window.  He told my dad that he went to the Blair Atholl School, and because of the education he received he now had a good job and was supporting himself.  This young man was able to escape poverty and become successful and happy.  Stories like this are why The Player Foundation and the GPI series are so important,” he added.

The 2012 GPI Global Series kicks off on April 8th at Champions Retreat in Augusta, Georgia, USA immediately following The Masters.  We hope to see you there.

For more information about The Player Foundation and the Gary Player Invitational global series please click here

« Back

London To Stage 2012 Laureus World Sports Awards

The 2012 Laureus World Sports Awards, the premier honours event in the international sporting calendar, is to be held in London on Monday, February 6.

Proceeds from the Laureus World Sports Awards directly benefit and underpin the work of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, which supports 89 community sports projects around the world that have helped to improve the lives of more than one-and-a-half million young people since its inception.

The Prime Minister, David Cameron, said: “I am delighted that the Laureus World Sports Awards are coming to London in 2012. These Awards celebrate the world’s top sportsmen and women and highlight the incredible power of sport to make a real difference to individuals and communities around the world. I can’t think of a better way to kick off our Olympic year.”

Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, said: “I am excited that the Laureus World Sports Awards and the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation have decided to bring the Awards to London for 2012. Laureus and I share a commitment to making sport a positive part of everyone’s life regardless of age and ability. Celebrating the power of sport here in London with the world’s sporting superstars will provide the perfect start to our Olympic year and it marks the beginning of a real and long-lasting grassroots sports legacy for London and beyond.”

Laureus World Sports Academy Member Sebastian Coe, Chairman of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, said: “I am thrilled that we are able to bring the Laureus Awards Ceremony to London next year. We are all hoping 2012 will be one of the most memorable years for sport in this country and we hope everyone who comes to London for the Awards will get a foretaste of the excitement to come.”

Edwin Moses, double Olympic gold medallist and Chairman of the Laureus World Sports Academy, said: “I am overjoyed that the 2012 Laureus Awards is to be staged in London. Sport is close to the hearts of everyone in London and the UK and that makes me very excited about bringing the Laureus Awards Ceremony to London in February.

Moses explains: “Laureus is already part of International Inspiration, the official legacy programme of London 2012, which is aiming to enrich the lives of 12 million children around the world by encouraging them to take part in physical education and sport and this will be yet another way we can show our support. The Laureus Sport for Good Foundation supports 10 community projects in the UK, including four in London itself.”

“As our Patron Nelson Mandela has said ‘sport has the power to change the world’ and we will be sending a message from London around the world to show how sport can make a difference to the lives of every one of us.”

The 2012 Awards Ceremony, which will be attended by the greatest names in sport, past and present, and broadcast to a worldwide TV audience, will be staged in the heart of London at Central Hall, Westminster on the evening of Monday, February 6. The winners are selected by the ultimate sports jury - the 47 members of the Laureus World Sports Academy, the living legends of sport honouring the greatest athletes of today.

Among the winners who have received Awards at previous Awards Ceremonies have been Jenson Button, Roger Federer, Alex Ferguson, Lewis Hamilton, Justine Henin, Kelly Holmes, Rafael Nadal, Steve Redgrave, Ronaldo, Michael Schumacher, Kelly Slater, Serena Williams and Zinedine Zidane. Guests attending the Awards Ceremony have included David and Victoria Beckham, Sean Connery, Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, Morgan Freeman, Teri Hatcher, Eva Longoria, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kevin Spacey, Prince Albert of Monaco and King Juan Carlos of Spain.

Members of the Laureus World Sports Academy volunteer their time to act as global ambassadors for the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, whose mission is to use sport as the means to combat some of the world’s toughest social challenges facing young people today such as juvenile crime, gangs, HIV/AIDS, discrimination, social exclusion, landmines awareness and health problems such as obesity. Since its inception Laureus has raised over €40 million to support projects which have helped to improve the lives of over one-and-a-half million young people.

The members of the Laureus World Sports Academy are: Giacomo Agostini, Marcus Allen, Franz Beckenbauer, Boris Becker, Ian Botham, Sergey Bubka, Bobby Charlton, Sebastian Coe, Nadia Comaneci, Yaping Deng, Marcel Desailly, Kapil Dev, Mick Doohan, David Douillet, Emerson Fittipaldi, Sean Fitzpatrick, Dawn Fraser, Cathy Freeman, Tanni Grey-Thompson, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Mika Häkkinen, Tony Hawk, Mike Horn, Miguel Indurain, Michael Johnson, Kip Keino, Franz Klammer, Dan Marino, John McEnroe, Edwin Moses (Chairman), Nawal El Moutawakel, Robby Naish, Ilie Nastase, Martina Navratilova, Alexey Nemov, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Morné du Plessis, Hugo Porta, Steve Redgrave, Vivian Richards, Monica Seles, Mark Spitz, Daley Thompson, Alberto Tomba, Steve Waugh and Katarina Witt.

Laureus was founded by its Patrons Richemont and Daimler and is supported by its Global Partners Mercedes-Benz, IWC Schaffhausen and Vodafone.

« Back

Golf’s World Cup Sports An Impressive Field

In 2009 the Italian dynamos Edoardo and Francesco Molinari captured The World Cup of Golf and established themselves as two of the top young golfers in the world.  If they hope to repeat as world champions they must hold off an impressive field of some of the best players on the planet.

The team of Graeme McDowell and Rory McIroy from Northern Ireland are considered to be the favorites coming into the event.  Both have had an excellent 2011 with McDowell ranked number 14 in the world and McIlroy capturing his first Major, the US Open.

“Rory and I are taking it very seriously and we would certainly love this to be on our resume,” said McDowell.

The Northern Irish are not the only powerhouse teams in the competition.  South Africa sends 2011 Masters Champion Charl Schwartzel and suddenly surging Louis Oosthuizen, world no. 10 Matt Kuchar and the impossibly long hitting Gary Woodland represent the USA, and Accenture Match Play champion Ian Poulter and the always dangerous Justin Rose will tee it up for England.

“It’s a very strong field this year and I expect to see excellent play across the board.  Golf is a solitary sport it is really fun to get the chance to play in a team format,” said Gary Player.

“Just like the Ryder Cup and the Presidents Cup you never know what will happen when you get so many top players together.  I am looking forward to watching it and am pulling for the boys from South Africa,” he added.

The World Cup is comprised of twenty-eight teams from, each one of a different nationality.  The Championship is a 72-hole stroke play team event with each team comprising of two players. The first and third days are four-ball (best ball) play and the second and final days are foursomes play.

The Blackstone course at Mission Hills is a par-73 that can play as long as 7,808 yards under tournament conditions.  One of the more interesting features of the course set up is the lack of rough.  The absence of difficult rough and the length of the course may tempt the players to trade distance for accuracy, but the 147 bunkers that dot the course are not a forgiving alternative.  More times than not these anything but small and flat bunkers punish errant tee shots so players should be wary of using the driver too often.

« Back

Gary Player Designed Leopard Creek Hosts The Alfred Dunhill Championship For 8th Consecutive Year

On 17 November the Alfred Dunhill Championship returns to Gary Player designed Leopard Creek for the eighth consecutive year with all eyes on Spain’s Pablo Martin as he attempts to complete a historic “hat trick” and win the Championship for the third year in a row.  If he is able to pull it off he will join golf greats Tiger Woods, Nick Faldo, Ian Woosnam and Ernie Els as the only men to have ever won three consecutive European Tour titles.

“Man I hope he does it.  Three in a row would be very impressive and I wish him the best,” said Gary Player.

The Dunhill is the first of five European Tour events to be held in South Africa between November and January 2012 and is critical for many players as the 2011 Race to Dubai nears its finality.  With only four events remaining many are playing to maintain their tour privileges for 2012 while others are trying to get into the top 60 and compete in the Dubai World Championship.

George Coetzee fresh off of a win at last week’s Gary Player Invitational held at Zimbali Coastal Resort, Thomas Aiken currently 19th on the Race to Dubai, Robert Rock who has never finished out of the top 20 at Leopard Creek along with a host of South African and European tour pros will all be chasing Martin. 

Designed by Gary Player, the course at Leopard Creek sits on the edge of Kruger National Park. While it is considered as one of the best courses in South Africa it may be best known for the variety of wildlife that regularly makes its way across the course.  Giraffes, crocodiles, leopards and hippopotamus have all been seen on and around the course and players should be wary of wayward shots.  No one wants to try to “play it as it lies” out of the mouth of “Harry” the local resident hippo.

Image courtesy of Sky Sports South Africa

« Back

2011 Gary Player Invitational South Africa Scores Big For Charity

The 2011 Gary Player Invitational in South Africa was a huge success raising over R2 million for underprivileged children in South Africa.  The event now in its 12th year brought together top professional golfers, celebrities and business leaders for 4 days of fun, golf and giving back to those in need.

“When you gather a group of people together that truly want to help those who need it most you end up with a fantastic event.  I can’t thank the players, our sponsors, our hosts and our Black Knight team enough.  This may have been our best event to date,” said a visibly moved and happy Gary Player.

The event kicked off with a welcome dinner highlighted by a moving message from the South African Minister of Sport thanking Gary Player and The Player Foundation for their long standing support of underprivileged children and some funky dancing from Gary Player and Vincent Tshabalala.  While the duo will not likely be performing on Dancing With The Stars anytime soon it made for great fun and a lot of laughs.

Friday morning began with the Pro/Am round of golf followed by the most important part of the event; the Gala Dinner & Auction.  The auction opened with a wonderful performance by the Drakensberg Boys Choir and featured a number of unique auction items highlighted by a 2012 Ryder Cup package, a framed and signed handprint of Nelson Mandela and a painting by the artist Wouter du Preez of Gary Player on the Zimbali course – the painting is special in that it the face of the person who purchased it will be painted on the caddie standing alongside Player.

The formal, black tie event, gave the guests a chance to show that they don’t just look good on the course, but off of it also.  Bollywood star and former Miss India, Neha Dhupia stunned with a dress from Indian designer Shahab Durazi and rugby stars Breyton Paulse and Pierre Spies traded the dirt and grass from the pitch for well-tailored tuxedos. 

“It is always humbling to see the generous way in which so many people contribute to the charity efforts of this tournament especially during these difficult economic times,” said Marc Player, Chief Executive of Black Knight International.

“Many of these sponsors and people are longstanding supporters of the Gary Player Invitational, and we are incredibly thankful for their continued support and willingness to make a difference.”

The tournament began in earnest on Saturday with an impressive start for South African professional George Coetzee and Champions Tour pro Mark James who set the pace for the Betterball competition and cricket great Shaun Pollock and businessman Wessel Witthuhn charging out to a huge lead in the Alliance competition. 

After the day’s play the guests gathered for the Saturday evening party presented by SAP which was a stark contrast to the formality of the Gala Dinner & Auction.  South African rocker Johnny Clegg, The White Zulu, fired up the crowd and the party went on well into the night with dancing, carousing and rumours of body shots abound. 

Fortunately everyone was ready for Sunday’s final round where the team of George Coetzee, Mark James, Shaun Pollock and Wessel Witthuhn continued their strong play and hoisted the magnificent Baobab GPI Trophy. 

Coetzee couldn’t have asked for a more timely victory as he prepares for a big summer on the Sunshine Tour in South Africa over the next two weeks.

“I’ve got two big tournaments coming so this is good mental practice for me,” he said.

Coetzee was also full of praise for the work done by the GPI event to raise money for disadvantaged children in South Africa.

“It’s been such a good tournament. What Gary Player does for us as golfers, and then also for charity and South Africa as a whole, is amazing. It’s an honour to be part of something like this. Obviously I hope that one day I can achieve some of the success he has had on the golf course, but more importantly that I can achieve as much as he has off the course as well.”

Gary Player thanked all the participants for their support. “I’ve never seen scoring in this event like we had at Zimbali this year. The course and resort were fantastic. And Coca-Cola and all our sponsors have been amazing in their support of our drive to make a difference.”

« Back

Cricket Great Pollock Scores Maiden Win In Gary Player Invitational

Cricket great Shaun Pollock made a significant contribution to his already impressive trophy cabinet when he teamed up with businessman Wessel Witthuhn for a maiden victory in the prestigious Gary Player Invitational presented by Coca-Cola at the Zimbali golf course on Sunday.

The amateur duo claimed a runaway victory in the alliance competition of this charity pro-am, finishing the 36 holes on 40-under-par. Their nearest challengers were the team of former Springbok Breyton Paulse and businessman Ron Boon on 34-under.

Pollock and Witthuhn set the tone for their triumph with a score of 15-under in the windy Saturday conditions, and then added a score of 25-under in the far calmer conditions on the Sunday. They celebrated a double triumph as their professionals, Mark James and George Coetzee, won the betterball on a score of 19 under, with rounds of 64 and 61. Jaco van Zyl and Ian Woosnam took second place in the betterball on 15 under.

“I know my way around this course and it was great to play with the professionals, and also help Mr Player raise the money for charity. As professional sportsmen we have a great platform to help give something back,” said Pollock, who played as virtually a third professional in their fourball off his scratch handicap.

“I made five birdies and an eagle on Sunday, so it was nice to contribute,” he said.

Witthuhn was also delighted with his first victory in this event. “Everybody asked if I was nervous playing with three such good golfers,” said the 14 handicap. “But the nature of this tournament is that the people who play here are by their own nature also caring individuals who have time for an amateur like me.”

Professional Coetzee couldn’t have asked for a more timeous victory as he prepares for a big summer on the Sunshine Tour in South Africa over the next two weeks.

“I’ve got two big tournaments coming so this is good mental practice for me,” he said.

Coetzee was also full of praise for the work done by this event to raise money for disadvantaged children in South Africa.

“It’s been such a good tournament. What Gary Player does for us as golfers, and then also for charity and South Africa as a whole, is amazing. It’s an honour to be part of something like this. Obviously I hope that one day I can achieve some of the success he did on the golf course, but more importantly that I can achieve as much as he has off the course as well.”

Player thanked all the participants for their support. “I’ve never seen scoring in this event like we had at Zimbali this year. The course was fantastic. And Coca-Cola and all our sponsors have been amazing in their support of our drive to make a difference.”

Final Scores

Alliance
- 40 Wessel Witthuhn, Shaun Pollock.
- 34 Ron Boon, Breyton Paulse.
- 30 Alan Pearson, Thomas Msengana.
- 28 Greg Whittaker, Kapil Dev.
- 24 Alex Maditsi, Craig Joubert.
- 23 Dieter Schönfeld, Lucas Radebe.
- 21 Claudia Schönfeld, Paul Collingwood.
- 15 Kevin McNally, Pierre Spies.

Betterball
- 19 64 61 George Coetzee, Mark James
- 15 64 65 Jaco van Zyl, Ian Woosnam
- 13 67 64 Peter Hanson, Sally Little; 68 63 Carly Booth, David Russell
- 10 69 65 Jesper Parnevik, Roger Wessels
- 9 70 65 Diana Luna, Tony Johnstone
- 8 69 67 Lee-Anne Pace, Vincent Tshabalala
- 7 69 68 James Kamte, Gary Player

« Back

South Africa’s Sports Minister Praises Gary Player

South Africa’s Minister of Sports and Recreation, Fikile Mbalula, has praised Gary Player as the country’s greatest sportsman and one of its finest ambassadors who “belongs in a league of his own”.

Mbalula was due to address the assembled golfers, sports stars, celebrities and business executives taking part in this week’s 12th annual Gary Player Invitational presented by Coca-Cola at the Zimbali Coastal Resort.

Mbalula was at the last minute unable to attend, but sent his message of praise, which was delivered by a member of his office at the official welcome function on Thursday evening.

“His message is that you are doing a wonderful job and have done this country proud. I know you feel you owe South Africa much, but the Minister feels South Africa owes you so much for putting us on a different pedestal,” said the representative.

“In Gary Player, the Minister says he has discovered a true friend, and somebody with whom he feels he can work together to show the rest of South Africa that we have talent and excellence and Africa is always alive with possibilities.”

Player was visibly moved by the Minister’s words. Standing on stage, he called up senior professional golfer Vincent Tshabalala as well as young black professional James Kamte.

“Here we have the old and the new,” Player said. “Vincent and I have been friends since we were children. He went on to win the French Open on the European Tour and has been such a fantastic ambassador for golf and our country.”

“And now look at James. This is the future. He just recently won a tournament on the Sunshine Tour. What this country desperately needs is a black golfer such as yourself, James, who will become the next great star.”

Player also thanked the Minister for the work he is doing to promote and transform sport in South Africa through the National Sport and Recreation Indaba.

According to the Minister, “The National Sport and Recreation Indaba is intended to pave the way forward for sport in South Africa, to provide a platform where sport and recreation issues can be discussed frankly and without prejudice and where policies can be translated into practice and a National Sports Plan for the country can be finalised.”

In his address, the Minister’s representative confirmed, “When Minister Mbalula was deployed to the Ministry of Sport, one of the first things he did was to say that we need to rectify how sport has been perceived and positioned in South Africa and the world.”

“He said we should rely on the concepts that have already been developed over the years, such as social cohesion and unity as well as nation building. He wants to maintain the favourable position of excellence and quality in our teams that have been performing well, but at the same time ensure a balance of quality and equity.

“Another key focus area for the Minister is that of taking young people off the streets and bringing them into institutions that encourage positive social behaviour. Here he wants to rely on the leadership that we have in sport, on the icons that we have, such as Gary Player, to enthuse and encourage our young people to participate in these activities.

“He is very aware of the challenges in terms of providing access to facilities and correct nutrition. He believes those things cannot happen without any revenue injection into the sporting codes. Hence the Minister has taken a keen interest in what the private sector has been doing to support sport. He knows that government cannot do it on its own.

“His message to you, Mr Player, is that the Minister was really looking forward to interacting with the luminaries gathered here because he is aware that there are people here who know how to win. He wants to continue to strengthen the partnerships between the private sector and public sector as well as community-based organisations.”

The Gary Player Invitational presented by Coca-Cola has for 12 years been making a significant contribution in South African communities, having raised over R25-million for disadvantaged children in this country.

“I was a very poor boy growing up, so I realised what it was like to struggle,” said Player. “I said, ‘When I do well I’m going to try and help a lot of people’. It’s a great feeling to have helped change the lives of some people in this great country, South Africa.”

« Back

KZN Wildlands Conservation Trust Gets Boost From Coca-Cola and Gary Player Invitational

Golfing legend Gary Player was on hand today when Coca-Cola, the presenting sponsor of the Gary Player Invitational (GPI), visited the impoverished Buffelsdraai community in KwaZulu-Natal to announce an estimated R1 million donation to boost the work of the Wildlands Conservation Trust.

Wildlands uplifts rural and peri-urban communities through the creation of “green jobs” for the poor and restores the natural environment of these communities. One of its successes is a waste-preneur programme which sees members of the community barter their recycling in exchange for bicycles, building materials and food.

Today’s trip to the Wildlands project in Buffelsdraai saw Coca-Cola rewarding the sterling efforts of the country’s top 10 waste-preneurs. They were presented with bicycles after meeting their target of each collecting 3 000kgs of recyclable waste.
The GPI, which is hosted at the prestigious Zimbali Country Club in KwaZulu-Natal from November 10 to 13, is South Africa’s premier charity sporting event and the target for 2011 is to raise R2 million, dependent on the outcome of the annual black-tie auction on Friday November 11. Every R1 raised at the GPI SA will reward 1kg of plastic waste collected for recycling, with bicycles and food. The bicycles enable improved access to work and education.

Funds raised will be split equally between the Wildlands Conservation Trust and the Gary Player Foundation, which provides quality education to underprivileged children and strengthens impoverished communities.

Wildlands will use its estimated R1 million donation to buy 665 bicycles supplied by Qhubeka, a fellow KwaZulu-Natal non-profit organisation dedicated to using bicycles to provide a cost effective, healthy and effective mobility solution for South Africa’s communities. Wildlands has worked with Qhubeka to develop a Bikes for Life model, through which Green-preneurs either barter their recycling for bicycles or are rewarded with a bicycle for their exceptional effort. The bicycles are assembled in Pietermaritzburg through a partnership between Wildlands, Qhubeka and World Bicycle Relief. 

Wildlands has green-preneur networks in 35 communities, spread across four provinces, who will grow over 600 000 trees this coming year while collecting over 3 000 000 kgs of recycling. The trees are planted out in community greening and forest restoration projects, which are integrated into local green-preneur based river, wetland, grassland and forest restoration activities. A key element of this recycling process is the re-use of PET and plastic containers. Coca-Cola also presented the waste-preneurs with stylish water-proof jackets made from recycled PET plastics.

Coca-Cola selected Wildlands as a major beneficiary because its goals are strongly aligned to the company’s Live for a Difference campaign, which focuses among others on entrepreneurship and recycling. “Our commitment, through our Live for a Difference sustainability programme, is to making a positive difference in the world by redesigning the way we work and live so that sustainability is part of everything we do. Forever. We are using our partnership with the Gary Player Invitational to push this agenda,” said William Egbe, the President of Coca-Cola South Africa.

The South African GPI, which features Major golf champions, celebrities and top-flight businessmen rubbing shoulders on the fairways, is the final of the four-tournament international series that includes the United Kingdom, United States, and China. Throughout its history the GPI series has raised more than R250-million for its beneficiaries worldwide.

Gary Player has long been a dedicated environmentalist whose philosophy in his business operations has always been to respect the land and its natural beauty and biodiversity. The Wildlands partnership is explicitly aligned with his thinking.
The GPI’s status as South Africa’s premier charity golf tournament is enhanced by the longstanding support of its committed sponsors partners and suppliers, including the technology leader in business software solutions, SAP, as well as Rolex, Johnnie Walker, UPS, Callaway and Audi.

The GPI is open to the public and the line-up for 2011 includes Gary Player, Ian Woosnam, glamorous golf pro Carly Booth and Indian cricket legend Kapil Dev. Tickets can be bought at Zimbali on the day or book through Computicket for R75 an adult and free entry for children.

« Back

Baddeley Aims To Catch Gary Player

Aaron Baddeley wants to win his third Australian Open this week, and that’s just the start. Baddeley, coming off a stellar year on the PGA Tour, still has his sights on Gary Player’s record of seven Open titles.

“I want to try to win my third Australian Open,” Baddeley said yesterday.

“It’s going to be a great field, great event, the best in a long time here. It will be a good one to win and a great lead-in for next week (and the Presidents Cup).

“Obviously the goal is to try to catch Gary Player. He has the most. A third will be another step in the right direction.”

Player won his seven Australian Opens over a 16-year period from 1958 to 1974. Jack Nicklaus is a six-time Australian Open champion while Ivo Whitton, from the early part of the 20th century, and Greg Norman have five.

At the age of 30, Baddeley has two to his name the first as an amateur in 1999 and the second as a professional the next year.

It’s been lean pickings since, although Baddeley returns to The Lakes in Sydney this year with his game in solid shape. He won his third event on the US PGA Tour in February and secured a place on the Presidents Cup team with another impressive outing at the Tour Championship, where he finished in a share of third.

“I love coming home and playing so I have plenty of Australian Opens left in me,” he said.

“I just have to try to win a few.”

Baddeley will start the Open on the fourth line of betting at $16 but he says his game is in good nick and you get the feeling his selection on Norman’s International team for the Presidents Cup has been a significant fillip.

Norman has already outlined plans to bring together the international players at the Open this week to discuss what lies ahead at Royal Melbourne.

“I spoke to him yesterday on the phone,” Baddeley said.

“He sent an email asking the team to give him a call. I am looking forward to it next week. State series is one of my favourite memories as an amateur growing up with that team environment.

“To do it as a pro will be pretty special.”

Meanwhile, James Nitties has spoken about his disappointment at missing out on his PGA Tour card by the slimmest of margins and his plans to regain it via qualifying school.

Nitties finished 26th on the Nationwide Tour money list the top 25 gain their PGA Tour playing rights for next year. A withdrawal at the penultimate event he suffered an upset stomach after what he suspects was a case of food poisoning and slept through his alarm proved pivotal.

“It’s pretty tough to take,” Nitties said. “I played my heart out.”

He will now miss the Australian PGA as he returns to the US to play the final stage of PGA Tour qualifying school.

Article courtesy of Brent Read, The Australian, November 09, 2011

« Back

Gary Player Country Club Is Still a “Green Monster”

As the 31st edition of the Nedbank Challenge looms, the Gary Player CC layout hasn’t lost any of it’s it’s sparkle.

The Gary Player Country Club layout at Sun City won’t feature any significant changes for this year’s Nedbank Challenge between December 1 and 4 and is now closed for the final stages of preparation for ‘Africa’s Major”.

The course itself, bereft of some much-needed rain of late, remains unchanged, barring a few minor chinks in the set-up to accomodate the Seniors Challenge.

Last year the Seniors Challenge was played as an exhibition event alongside the main tournament, but this year the high-profile golfing “pensioners” will have their own full course set-up, with specific tees allocated to them on holes 2, 5, 8, 9, 11 and 17.

The Seniors Challenge has also been extended to a 54-hole tournament, with a mammoth purse of 880 000 US Dollars.

Director of Golf at Sun City, Antonie Els, also went to great lengths to explain that the 30-year-old irrigation system around the picturesque layout has also been upgraded, a project which featured the installation of 810 new sprinklers and the relocating of the main irrigation lines from the centre of the fairways to the sides.

With lower than average rainfall in the region for this time of year, Els expects the rough to be alot less severe, but as in previous years, the greens are expected to be fast and consistent.

Article courtesy of Trevor Cramer, Jacaranda 94.2 FM, South Africa

« Back

Gary Player Inducted To Asia Pacific Golf Hall of Fame

Global Golf Ambassador and Grand Slam Champion golfer Gary Player was inducted into the Asia Pacific Golf Hall of Fame during the 2011 Asian Golf Monthly Awards in Pattaya, Thailand on 2 November. 

“It is an honour to be inducted into the Asia Pacific Golf Hall of Fame. Asia has always been one of my favorite parts of the world to visit, play and design golf courses and is one of the brightest spots in the world golf marketplace today.  The entire region is so dynamic.  The incredible history, the multitude of cultures, the wonderful people, the fantastic food… I just love it,” said Gary Player.

Mike Sebastian, Asia Pacific Golf Group’s CEO, “The institution of the Asia Pacific Hall of Fame is proud to welcome Gary Player to this exclusive and elite gathering of some the most celebrated golfers in the world and we felt that 2011 was both timely and appropriate for us to honour the great man.”

« Back

Coetzee Joins Stellar Field For Gary Player Invitational

Rising star George Coetzee will join a strong cast of international golfers, sports stars and celebrities at the 12th edition of the Gary Player Invitational presented by Coca-Cola at the Zimbali Coastal Resort from 11-13 November 2011.

The brawny Pretoria golfer completes the regular Tour line-up alongside European Tour winners Jesper Parnevik and Peter Hanson from Sweden, Ladies European Tour champion Diana Luna from Italy, rising Scottish star Carly Booth and compatriots Jaco van Zyl, James Kamte and Lee-Anne Pace, all multiple winners in their own right.

In the nearly four years since he first joined the professional ranks on the back of a prolific amateur career that saw him ranked first in South Africa, Coetzee has won four times on the Sunshine Tour, with his biggest victory to date the Telkom PGA Championship in February.

The 25-year-old returns home on the back of an exciting and lucrative season in Europe, where he currently ranks 26th on the Race to Dubai with earnings well over €800 000. In the last year, Coetzee has climbed from outside the top 200 to 92nd on the official world golf rankings, thanks mainly to seven top 10 finishes in Europe.

Among his highlights were three third-place finishes at the Portugal Masters, BMW International and Barclays Scottish Open and a runner-up finish at the Johnnie Walker Championship, where he lost in a play-off to Thomas Bjorn.

It has certainly been a fruitful season for the young gun and he is looking forward to sharing the fairways with nine-time Major winner Gary Player, as well as a strong cast of senior professionals, celebrities and business executives in his second successive appearance in the popular pro-celebrity tournament.

“I am looking forward to the Gary Player Invitational because for myself and the other Sunshine Tour professionals it is a great way to stay competitive ahead of the big tournaments coming up later this month,” said Coetzee. “But the competition side of things is really a by-product of what we are really playing for, namely charity.”

As the perfect expression of the Black Knight’s dedication to charity, the Gary Player Invitational series has raised over R250-million for underprivileged children in all corners of the globe and it is a cause Coetzee fully supports.

“I really enjoy the atmosphere and I think it is wonderful opportunity for us to raise funds for the children who need our support and commitment.”

Coetzee, who credits Gary Player’s latest book Don’t Choke – A Champion’s Guide to Winning Under Pressure as one of the reasons he has enjoyed such a successful season, also admits he hopes to spend a little time with the Black Knight ahead of the South African Open.
“Every time you get the opportunity to listen to Gary Player, you walk away with incredible insights and to have a chance to get some insights from someone who won the SA Open a record 13 times will be invaluable,” said Coetzee.

The Gary Player Invitational presented by Coca-Cola features a mix of stars from the European Tour, the Ladies European Tour, the Champions and European Senior Tours, the LPGA Tour, local and international celebrities and, of course, eight business executives who will captain the teams in the 36-hole Stableford Alliance competition.

The Champions field will include Player, Ian Woosnam, Mark James, DJ Russell, Vincent Tshabalala, Tony Johnstone, Sally Little and Roger Wessels, while the celebrities who will be lining up are sporting legends Pierre Spies, Breyton Paulse, Lucas Radebe, Kapil Dev, Paul Collingwood, Shaun Pollock, internationally acclaimed rugby referee Craig Joubert and popluar 5FM Breakfast Show host, Thomas Msengana.

The business executives, who will captain the teams, include Claudia and Dieter Schönfeld of Alfred E Tiefenbacher, Coca-Cola East and Central Africa Country manager Alex Maditsi, president of IFA Hotel Group Africa and Indian Ocean, Wessel Witthuhn, and KeNako Academy chairman Ron Boon.

Bollywood diva and model Neha Dhupia will also join the all-star line-up to lend her glamorous support to Africa’s premier charity event that raises funds to improve the lives of disadvantaged children in South Africa.

« Back

Dhupia Brings Bollywood Dazzle To Gary Player Invitational

(Zimbali Coastal Resort) - Bollywood diva and model Neha Dhupia will join an all-star line-up of top professional golfers, sports and entertainment celebrities, as well as a host of leading business executives for the 12th edition of the annual Gary Player Invitational presented by Coca-Cola.

The former Miss India has yet to take up the game of golf but is passionate about throwing her glamorous support behind Africa’s premier charity event, hosted by career Grand Slam champion Gary Player, at the Zimbali Coastal Resort from 11-13 November 2011.

Dhupia will be joined by countryman and international cricket legend Kapil Dev, fellow cricketers Paul Collingwood from England and former Protea Shaun Pollock, former Bafana Bafana and Leeds United captain Lucas Radebe, and South African rugby icons Pierre Spies and Breyten Paulse.

Renowned International Rugby Board and 2012 World Cup Final referee Craig Joubert and 5FM Prime Weekend Breakfast Show host Thomas Msengana are also supporting the charity drive of an event that raises funds to improve the lives of disadvantaged children in South Africa.

Dhupia has set the screens alight in more than 20 starring roles, but behind her beauty lies the intelligence of a woman that has an honours degree in History and ran the Mumbai Marathon this year in an effort to raise money for the Concern India Foundation, a non-profit organisation she supports and that assists disadvantaged women and children as well as the elderly.

Earlier this year, the actress even launched an international Twitter campaign to spread awareness and raise money for the victims of the 2011 Sikkim earthquake.

Msengana is elated at his good fortune to tee it up with international celebrities and sports stars, as well as the rare opportunity of playing with the likes of Gary Player and former Masters champion Ian Woosnam.

“As if playing with a career Grand Slam champion was not pressure enough, between Gary Player, the other professionals and those sporting legends, it’s an all-star line-up,” he said.

“I don’t really mind being the odd man out, though, because it’s a dream come true for a sports fanatic like me. It will take some getting used to, though. Down the one end of the driving range you’ll be looking at a line of top professionals and down the other, a bunch of internationally acclaimed sports stars.

“But it is an absolutely privilege to line up in the Gary Player Invitational to help our host raise money for charity. After all, this is what it’s all about. Rubbing shoulders with sporting legends for three days is just a really, really nice added bonus.”
The 32 participants will play in eight teams of four, comprising a senior professional, a professional, a celebrity and a business executive who captains the team. The teams will compete over 36 holes in a Fourball Alliance with two scores to count in the charity pro-am event, while the two professionals in each group will also compete in a separate Betterball Medal competition.

Although the official draw for this year’s tournament will only be done on Thursday, Msengana already has his fingers crossed on drawing Player or Woosnam.

“With respect to the rest of the professionals, it would be like the ultimate dream come true to play in the biggest charity tournament in Africa with a Major winner,” he said.  “But I’m sure we will still have a fantastic time, no matter who I end up playing with. At the end of the day, we all know why we are here. Charity is the big winner.”

In addition to tournament host Player, the Champions Tour line-up includes former Masters champion and European Ryder Cup captain Woosnam and fellow Brit Mark James, a three time winner on the Champions Tour, twice a winner on the European Senior Tour and also a former European Ryder Cup captain.

European Tour and European Senior Tour winner DJ Russell from England makes his debut alongside former French Open champion Vincent Tshabalala, back for his ninth appearance, while former South African PGA Championship winner Roger Wessels returns for a second time since 2001 and Zimbabwe’s Tony Johnstone, another European Tour and European Senior Tour winner, returns for the fourth time.

South Africa’s Lee-Anne Pace, a five-time Ladies European Tour winner and 2010 Henderson Money List champion, leads the regular pro line-up that will feature PGA Tour and European Tour winner Jesper Parnevik, European Tour winner Peter Hanson, Ladies European Tour winner Diana Luna, multiple Sunshine Tour winners James Kamte and Jaco van Zyl, and rising Scottish star Carly Booth.

Claudia Schönfeld makes her return in the business executives line-up alongside her husband Dieter, also a Major shareholder in Alfred E Tiefenbacher, president of IFA Hotel Group Africa and Indian Ocean, Wessel Witthuhn, and KeNako Academy chairman Ron Boon.

Final participant announcements to follow.

Tickets are available at the venue or from Computicket at R75 per adult per day. Entry for children under 18 is free.

For further information, please contact:
Marc Tudhope, Managing Director, Black Knight International
E: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or T: +27 21 671 5159

Debra Barnes, Client Service Director, Black Knight International
E: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or T: +27 21 671 5159

Jesper Parnevik Photo Courtesy of Getty Images

« Back

Golf Meets Glamour at 2011 Gary Player Invitational

Four leggy fairway blondes will flank Gary Player when South Africa’s Grand Slam champion hosts the Gary Player Invitational presented by Coca-Cola from 10-13 November 2009.

European Tour winners Lee-Anne Pace and Diana Luna, rising European Ladies Tour star Carly Booth and two-time LPGA Major winner Sally Little will brighten up the fairways at the Zimbali Coastal Resort, adding some fabulous glamour to Africa’s premier charity golf event.

Italy’s Luna will be making her debut alongside a star-studded field of professional golfers, celebrities and businessmen who combine in a 36-hole fourball alliance competition while the professionals also compete in a separate 36-hole betterball medal competition.

Luna turned professional in 2001 after a stellar amateur career and broke through for her maiden victory at the 2004 Tenerife Ladies Open. In 2009 she underlined her growing stature by becoming the first Italian player with back-to-back wins on the Ladies European Tour. Her victory at the AIB Ladies Irish Open, followed six days later by the SAS Ladies Masters, landed her another Italian first - a spot in the European Tour for the 2009 Solheim Cup.

Taking time out for the birth of her daughter Elena, Luna played in only five tournaments in 2010, but the Italian got back to her winning ways in May this year with victory at the Unicredit Ladies German Open, where she completed four flawless rounds for a total of 24-under 264, setting a record in the event for four rounds without a single bogey.

Less than a month later, she held off South Africa’s Pace, Sophie Giquel-Bettan of France and Australian Kristie Smith to win the Deutsche Bank Ladies Swiss Open by one shot. Luna came close to collecting her third title this season at the recent Lacoste Ladies Open de France, losing in a play-off to England’s Felicity Johnson.

With five victories and 24 top 10 finishes on the Ladies European Tour, Luna will no doubt add depth to the field. But off the golf course, she is also a huge advocate for charity and has volunteered for the World Food Programme since 2001.

It will be a second visit to South Africa for Booth, who made her debut alongside SA cricketer Shaun Pollock, European Tour winner Tony Johnstone and businessman Dr Hans-Walter Peters of Berenberg Bank at Fancourt last year.

Booth, Scotland’s answer to Michelle Wie, established her credential as one of Britain’s rising stars when she became the youngest-ever player at 15 to represent Great Britain and Ireland in the Curtis Cup in 2008. A year later she claimed another first as the youngest-ever Scot at just 17 to qualify for the Ladies European Tour.

Booth had to juggle golf with completing her studies in her rookie season but managed to keep her playing privileges on the LET.  Her best performances this season include a share of 21st at the Deloitte Dutch Ladies Open and a tie for 19th at the Ladies Scottish Open. Following a recent tie for 24th at the Sanya Ladies Open, she currently ranks 107th on the Henderson Money List with earnings of €12 668 after 14 starts.

“It is not often that someone as young and unknown as me gets the chance to play with a legend like Gary Player, so there was no doubt in my mind what I would be doing this November,” she said. “Children should be everyone’s number one priority. Although I am still young myself, it is an honour for me to be part of this special event and do my bit to raise money for the children of South Africa.”
Pace made her debut in this event last year on the back of a watershed year in her professional career, playing alongside Major winner Gary Player, cricket legend Brian Lara and businesswoman Claudia Schoenfeld.

The Mossel Bay golfer won her maiden Ladies European Tour title at the Deutsche Bank Swiss Open, followed with three more victories before she claimed the Suzhou Taihu Ladies Open in a tight four-way playoff to cement her position at the top of the Henderson Money List.

Pace, who has been splitting her time between Europe and the United States, remains winless this season. She played in half a dozen tournaments on the LPGA Tour and made the cut in four and come close to lifting her sixth and seventh titles in Europe with runner-up finishes in Spain and Switzerland. Pace did record seven top 10 finishes this season and ranks 11th on the Henderson Money List.

She is thrilled at the prospect of joining the stellar line-up at Zimbali.

“I really enjoyed the event last year, so I was holding my thumbs for a repeat invitation,” said Pace, who holds a degree in psychology from the University of Tulsa. “I looking forward to doing my bit to help Mr Player raise money for charity and the sunny weather in South Africa won’t hurt either.”

Little also makes a welcome return to the Gary Player Invitational.

A two-time Major winner and 15-time winner on the LPGA Tour, Little teed it up in the event from 2006 to 2008 and has been on the winning side once. In 2007, she combined with current world number one Luke Donald to lift the betterball title and the pair partnered Alex Maditsi of Coca-Cola to victory in the alliance team competition.

“It’s been a few years, but I am absolutely delighted to return,” said Little. “The golf will no doubt be competitive, but this event is all about the children and isn’t it wonderful that we can be playing to raise funds for their benefit so close to the Christmas holidays?”

These lovely ladies will all share the fairways of Zimbali with Grand Slam champion Player and other Champions Tour stars including 1991 Masters champion Ian Woosnam, European Ryder Cup captain Mark James, Champions Tour and European Senior Tour winners DJ Russell and Tony Johnstone, former French Open champion Vincent Tshabalala and SA PGA Championship winner Roger Wessels.

« Back

Construction on Gary Player Design’s Los Micos In Honduras Drives Forward

Global golf ambassador and renowned course designer Gary Player visited his first project in Honduras, Los Micos Beach & Golf Resort to review the construction progress and to work with the Los Micos’ environmental consultant to closely review areas along the coast that have environmentally sensitive dunes and vegetation.

“Maintaining the natural characteristics of the land and protecting the environment is not something we just talk about, it is a very important aspect of this and every course we design,” said Gary Player. 

“As a golf course designer I have to think about the longevity of the course, not just how it will look and play when it opens.  Golf courses, if designed and maintained properly, can bring real benefit to the surrounding land by creating a natural haven for local flora and fauna for generations to come.  That is the goal with Los Micos.  This is an absolutely beautiful part of Honduras and the site is fantastic.  The Caribbean Sea will be visible from a number of holes and the sand dunes throughout the site contrast wonderfully against it.  Jose Gutierrez and his team are in the midst of creating a world class resort that should draw a lot of people to Honduras.  I am pleased that we are part of the project and can’t wait to come back for another visit,” he added.

José Gutierrez the General Manager of DTBT was excited about the visit, “We are so thrilled to have had Gary Player visit Los Micos Beach & Golf Resort. Mr. Player is an incredibly energetic, disciplined and charismatic gentleman, and his visit has been an unforgettable experience for us and our golfing community. We look forward to playing the golf course designed by his firm.”

« Back

Happy Birthday Gary

When Gary Player beat Australian Kel Nagle in a play-off to win the 1965 US Open and complete the coveted Grand Slam of Golf he made good on a promise that shocked and surprised the golfing fraternity.

Four years earlier, Player had promised United States Golf Association executive secretary Joe Dey that if he ever won in America again, he would return his prize money for charity.

True to his word, Player returned his first-place check and asked that it be shared between the Cancer Society and the USGA for the promotion of junior golf. The $1,000 playoff bonus, plus an equal amount out of his own pocket, went to Player’s caddie.

At the time the gesture went down as one of the greatest acts of generosity in sports history, but in a career spanning more than 50 years, Player has shown that his kindness and big-heartedness knows no boundaries.

Player won nine Majors, nine Senior Majors, 165 tournaments worldwide and achieved the career Grand Slam on the PGA Tour and on the Champions Tour with infectious enthusiasm and a zest for life and golf that never wavered. That determination to perform to the best of his abilities always made him a tough competitor, and in his twilight years he is using that same passion, grit and determination in his relentless pursuit to use golf for the greater good of mankind.

When the clock struck midnight to signal his 76th birthday on 1 November, Player was in Shanghai, China to host the fourth leg of the Gary Player Invitational series in partnership with Coca-Cola to raise money for the Yunnan AIDS Orphans whose lives have been hit hardest by HIV.

A milestone age for any person, golf’s International ambassador is still a shining example of how to treat age as simply a number.

At 76, he still packs more into a day than men half his age - and he loves every minute of it. Speaking from Shanghai, Player said: “I still have so much to do. My talent was a gift and golf has given me a fantastic career. Now it’s my responsibility to recognize what I received and pay it forward.”

Player said he was fortunate to overcome challenges in his life with his abilities and the good people who helped him along the way. “I wanted to find a way to help children to achieve their dreams despite the challenges they face,” he said.
In less than two weeks, Player will be hard at work again, hosting the 12th edition of the Gary Player Invitational presented by Coca-Cola in South Africa.

Happy birthday Gary.

« Back

Player Designed Hidden Tiger Named One of China’s Best New Courses

The Gary Player designed Hidden Tiger Golf Club was just named one of the three best new courses in China by Golf Digest.  The rankings which are considered to be extremely prestigious in China and throughout Asia were based on eight factors: shot value, playability, resistance to scoring, design variety, memorability, aesthetics, conditioning and ambience.

“This is great news.  I am so pleased that Hidden Tiger has been recognized as one of the best new courses in China.  It is a wonderful course with incredible lake and mountain views and we worked hard to ensure that each hole requires players to think about the strategy needed to score well.  I am very proud of this golf course,” said Gary Player. 

“David Wang and his team at Hidden Tiger were so committed to quality from the very beginning of our design and the course reflects that commitment.  Well done!” he added.

Scott Ferrell, President of Gary Player Design commented, “We feel it is so important to establish quality designs in emerging golf markets like China, and this award is evidence that we have accomplished that at Hidden Tiger.  I firmly believe that it will become even more popular as the base of golf grows throughout Asia.”

Taiping Lake is the largest man-made lake in the Anhui Province located at the southern foot of Mt. Huangshan and to the southeast of Mt. Jiuhua in the South Eastern part of the country.  It boasts a diverse ecological environment rife with ornamental plants and local specialties such as the world famous Taiping Houkui green tea, Huangshan Maofeng green tea, Longmen persimmon, Chinese goosebeery, Qiaoshan Chinese torreya nuts, dried wild fish, and Taiping silver fish.

Because if its advantageous location, diverse ecological environment and beautiful scenery tourism has become a focus of developers and the Chinese Government.  The opening of Hefei-Tongling-Huangshan expressway has increased the ease of travel throughout the province and additional development is planned with the goal of creating an international tourist mecca.

« Back

Gary Player Invitational Raises Over $2 Million For AIDS Orphans In China

The 2011 Gary Player Invitational in Shanghai, China was a rousing success raising over $2 million to help benefit children who have been affected by AIDS throughout China. 

“It was absolutely fantastic and I could not have dreamed of a better birthday present!,” said a very happy Gary Player.

“This was our fifth Gary Player Invitational event in China and every year is better than the last.  The support we received from our sponsors and guests was incredible, especially during such difficult economic times.  Knowing that the monies raised will make a real difference in the lives of children who have faced such hardship because of AIDS is truly gratifying.  I can’t thank everyone involved enough and am looking forward to making next year’s tournament even more successful,” he added.

The GPI event began with a gala dinner and auction held at the Shangri-La Hotel in Shanghai on 31 October followed by a pro-am golf tournament at Shanghai Links Golf & Country Club on 1 November.  Singing superstar Eason Chan, singer songwriter JJ Lin and actress and singer Ariel Lin headlined the evening entertainment. 

“The support from everyone has simply blown us away,” said Marc Player, CEO of Black Knight International.  “The event has become so much more than a charity golf tournament which is a testament to the commitment that Doug Jackson and his super team at Coca-Cola have made to this event,” he added  

Perhaps the most visually memorable aspect of the gala dinner was the word “HOPE.”  To emphasize the true mission of the event – helping children in need build a better future – the word HOPE was placed at the entrance of the ballroom.  Upon arrival each guest was given a candle to light and place within the word.  The result was a beautiful candle-lit beacon reinforcing the commitment to assist those who need it most.

The GPI concluded on 1 November with a pro-am golf tournament featuring Major champions Retief Goosen and Louis Oosthuizen, Chinese professional golfer Lian-Wei Zhang and tournament host Gary Player.  Fun was had by all and Shanghai Links proved to be a good challenge. 

« Back

Zimbali Geared For Gary Player Invitational Presented by Coca-Cola

There is a definite air of expectancy at the prestigious Zimbali Coastal Resort in KwaZulu-Natal as this premier coastal golfing destination grooms its operations ahead of the Gary Player Invitational presented by Coca-Cola.

Following three years at The Links at Fancourt, the South African leg of this global charity series hosted by the country’s only Grand Slam winner will celebrate its 12th anniversary at this world-class resort from 10-13 November 2011.

Located on a breathtaking stretch of KwaZulu-Natal’s Dolphin Coast, the 700-hectare Zimbali Coastal Resort is a place of expansive beauty with its Indonesian inspired architecture, lush vegetation, an abundance of indigenous wildlife and a pristine championship course that provides the perfect backdrop for Africa’s premier charity golf tournament.

“We are honoured to extend our association with Gary Player by hosting the Gary Player Invitational presented by Coca-Cola,” said President of IFA Hotels & Resorts Africa and Indian Ocean, Wessel Witthuhn.

“This prestigious tournament has enjoyed phenomenal success, both in South Africa and abroad. An event of this status and nature presents us with the opportunity to showcase Zimbali and the unique environment we have created here.”

One of Gary Player’s great causes, conservation, takes precedence at Zimbali and was also the brief for former British Open and South African PGA champion, Tom Weiskopf, who designed the championship course.

Director of Golf Dan de Bruyn said the 18-hole, par-72 layout will present a fair but challenging test to the 32 participants, while offering superb vantage points for spectators.

“Aesthetically, the golf course offers majestic ocean and forest views, but it is also ecologically sound with water and wetland features in a natural setting,” he said “The course has some dramatic elevations and terrain changes, but it offers a fair challenge to all golfers and rewards good shot making.”

Golf course superintendent James Herbert said preparations for the tournament are well underway.

“In preparation for the tournament, we completed spring treatment followed by fertilizing,” he said.
“We are currently preparing the greens to speed them up to tournament standard and making a few other enhancements to improve its playability and the overall aesthetics.”

One thing is certain - Zimbali is perfectly positioned to offer a truly magnificent stage on which the drama and action will unfold when Player and his fellow Champions Tour professionals will join a cast of regular professionals, sport stars, celebrities and top-flight businessmen at the 12th edition of South Africa’s premier charity sporting event to raise the mark on over R250-million for charities already raised for the benefit of underprivileged children in South Africa and around the world.

« Back

Legendary Champions Line Up For 12th Gary Player Invitational in South Africa

The 12th Gary Player Invitational presented by Coca-Cola will feature one of the strongest Champions Tour line-ups in recent years, with two multiple Major winners and two European Ryder Cup captains in the field at the Zimbali Coastal Resort in KwaZulu-Natal from 11-13 November 2011.

Gary Player, the tournament host and winner of nine Majors and nine Senior Majors, heads a field featuring 1991 Masters champion and European Ryder Cup captain Ian Woosnam, and another European Ryder Cup captain in Mark James.

Sally Little, twice a Major winner on the LPGA Tour, joins the field alongside former French Open champion Vincent Tshabalala, former South African PGA Championship winner Roger Wessels, European Senior Tour winners DJ Russell from England and Zimbabwe’s Tony Johnstone.

“I am delighted with this kind of support from the Champions Tour players, and our other senior players in the field,” said Gary Player.

“The senior players are such an important part of this tournament, both in the anchoring the Fourball Alliance teams and partnering the regular Tour players in the Betterball Medal competition. To have this kind of representation in our field is a significant achievement.”

Woosnam, a 29-time winner on the European Tour and two-time winner of the European Tour Order of Merit, ranked number one in the world for 51 weeks. He played in eight Ryder Cups for Europe and captained the European side to a record equaling 18½ - 9½ victory at the K Club in 2006.

Since the Welshman joined the senior circuit in 2008, he has won four times, most recently at the Berenberg Bank Masters in June. In his rookie year, the 53-year-old won the John Jacobs trophy as the highest ranked player on the European Senior Tour, and narrowly lost the race to Sam Torrance in 2009. He ranks fourth on the current rankings after one victory and five top-10 finishes this season.

British golfer James also brings a fine career to the Gary Player Invitational.

In a career spanning 25 years, James won 18 times on the European Tour, represented Europe in seven Ryder Cups and captained the European Ryder Cup team at Brookline in 1999. James has won three times on the Champions Tour and twice on the European Senior Tour.

DJ Russell, a two-time European Tour winner, left the Tour in 1996 and spent six years as a club professional in Derby. He re-joined the professional circuit in the senior ranks in 2005. After nine runner-up finishes, he finally broke through for his maiden senior title at the 2010 De Vere Collection PGA Seniors Championship.

Woosnam, James and Russell are all looking forward to a return trip to South Africa, having competed here in the Berenberg Bank Masters at the Gary Player-designed Links in January 2010.

“I am delighted to support the Gary Player Invitational and the charities it contributes to,” said Woosnam, who enjoyed previous success in South Africa when he won the 1987 Million Dollar Challenge. “Every time we do something to relieve the plight of those less fortunate in the world, we are reminded of just how blessed we are. I am really looking forward to what promises to be an amazing tournament.”

James is also looking forward to teeing it up at Zimbali.

“It’s really an honour for me to join Gary and the other participants in this charity event,” said James. “I’ve seen highlights of the event and read about all the money the tournament has raised for charity and I feel very privileged to contribute to such a worthy cause this year.”

Russell agreed.

“Any time Gary Player issues you an invitation, you don’t think twice,” he said. “Woosie, Mark and myself are delighted to come to South Africa and help Gary to raise money for a very worthy cause. Nothing beats doing what you love for a great cause like this.”

Johnstone was on the winning side in the 2006 Betterball competition with former Masters champion Angel Cabrera. The Zimbabwean is also looking forward to his fourth appearance in the Gary Player Invitational.

“I just love coming back to the Gary Player Invitational. I really enjoy the camaraderie in the team competition and the fact that we pull together for a win-win result – to win the tournament and to make the most possible money for charity.”

The Gary Player Invitational presented by Coca-Cola has raised over R250-million for charities benefiting underprivileged children worldwide, but Player and the rest of the Champions Tour cast will aim to raise that mark substantially for three local charities when they join regular professionals, sport stars, celebrities and top-flight businessmen in South Africa’s premier charity sporting event from 11-13 November.

« Back

THE GARY PLAYER INVITATIONAL – TWELVE YEARS OF GOLF, FUN AND CARING

The Gary Player Invitational presented by Coca-Cola and hosted by the Black Knight will celebrate 12 years of making a difference in the lives of underprivileged children in South Africa when it tees off at the prestigious Zimbali Country Club in KwaZulu-Natal from 11-13 November 2011.

The tournament is the final of the four-tournament international series that includes the United Kingdom, United States, and China, and which makes up one of the biggest charity series in world golf.

The format of each tournament partners professionals from the Regular Tour and Champions Tour with business leaders and celebrities or sports stars in a pro-am competition. But the tournaments have at their heart the act of giving back to those less fortunate, and throughout its history the Gary Player Invitational series has raised more than R250-million for its beneficiaries worldwide.

“Golf has shown itself to be the leader among all sports when it comes to raising funds for charity. But it has been the unwavering support of the world’s top golfers and the presence of celebrities of the stage, screen and other sports who have given freely of their time that has been central to the success of the Gary Player Invitational in South Africa,” said Marc Player, CEO Black Knight International

“Most of them share our dedication and commitment to create a sustainable society and our desire to give back to the less fortunate in the community. We are indeed privileged to be able to bring all these personalities together to keep this dream alive for a 12th consecutive time,” he added. 

The event’s status as South Africa’s premier charity golf tournament is enhanced by the longstanding support of its committed sponsors.

Presenting sponsor Coca-Cola, whose involvement also extends to the Gary Player Invitational in China, has been partnering with the Player Foundation on this series since 2002 to raise funds for needy children around the world.

Coca-Cola South Africa President Bill Egbe said, “We are pleased to support this Invitational which has as its central objective the uplifting of communities in South Africa. Helping to ensure the health of the communities where we live and where our business operates is integral to everything we do.”

This has been complemented by the other partners and suppliers, most of whom have supported the event since its inception in 1999 and have an even longer association with South Africa’s Grand Slam champion, including the technology leader in business software solutions, SAP, as well as Rolex, Johnnie Walker, UPS, Callaway and Audi.
Black Knight International Managing Director Marc Tudhope said this level of commitment from their partners and sponsors underlines the significant loyalty and support that has seen the Gary Player Invitational in South Africa grow in strength.

“What began as a personal project on Gary Player’s farm in South Africa, where he built a school and church for the local children, has thanks to the support of our partners and sponsors grown into a tournament that annually makes a significant impact in the lives of underprivileged children.”

This marks the first time that the Gary Player Invitational presented by Coca-Cola will be played in KwaZulu-Natal at the Zimbali Coastal Resort, following its move from The Links at Fancourt.

“We are delighted to stage this premier event and look forward to building on the phenomenal success of this tournament by providing a world-class resort that will hopefully make for a memorable week for all concerned.  We are also excited about next year’s tournament which will be played on the newly opened Championship golf course designed by Gary Player,” said Wessel Witthuhn,
President Africa and Indian Ocean IFA Hotels & Resorts.

« Back

Volvo to Crown Golf Champion of Champions at The Links at Fancourt in South Africa

The European Tour’s first-ever true ‘tournament of champions’ event has been confirmed for South Africa’s number-one golf course, The Links at Fancourt, from 19th – 22nd January, with the prospect of the finest field ever assembled for a European Tour event on African soil chasing the €350,000 (Approx US$500,000) first prize. With a prize fund of €2million (Approx.US$2,700,000) the Volvo Golf Champions is the first solely-sanctioned European Tour event of 2012 and offers the circuit’s most valuable purse on the African continent.

The Volvo Golf Champions is open only to European Tour players who have won an event on the previous year’s European Tour International Schedule and current Tour Members with ten or more European Tour wins to their name. With prize money and valuable Official World Ranking Points on offer from first to last place and with only a dozen events until the Tournament, an unprecedented gathering of global golfing talent is expected to line up at the world-acclaimed Links at Fancourt, recently voted number one course in the country and designed by South African golf legend Gary Player.

Commenting on the selection of The Links at Fancourt, Per Ericsson, President, Volvo Event Management said, “Quality, both of the challenge the golf course will pose to the field of proven champions and of the infrastructure, was a key consideration and The Links at Fancourt is right up there with the very best in the world.”

“We also wanted a location that was suitable for the staging of the world final of the Volvo World Golf Challenge which will be staged simultaneously, with the successful formula of ‘Playing with the Pros’. Volvo’s customers and prospects can enjoy the sporting experience of a lifetime by playing alongside the stars of the European Tour for one day, live on worldwide TV,” continued Ericsson.

He added, “South Africa is an increasingly important market for Volvo and we believe everyone will enjoy all that South Africa and its world-renowned Garden Route will provide in January.”

The inaugural Volvo Golf Champions, which was staged as a celebration of global golf in January, saw the 34-year-old Arizona-based Englishman Paul Casey triumph, securing his place in the Fancourt field. Having won on every continent in the world except Africa, Casey is determined to put that right as he defends his Volvo Golf Champions crown in South Africa early next year.

“I think that the news that the Volvo Golf Champions is heading to South Africa will be very well received by the players as we have heard nothing but amazing feedback on the Links course. I haven’t played a tournament in South Africa for a while so I am really looking forward to starting my year there. With only winners qualifying this year, it is going to be a smaller, more elite field which will make it feel even more prestigious.”

Casey continued, “Winning the inaugural Volvo Golf Champions in January meant so much to me as it was my first title since coming back from a rib injury. At the moment, I am trying to recover from a niggling toe injury and while I have a few big events coming up where I will be aiming to win again, I am also looking forward to starting 2012 afresh and hoping to enjoy an injury-free year. Defending my title at the Volvo Golf Champions will be at the top of my New Year’s Resolution List!” 

The Links at Fancourt, consistently in the Top 100 Golf Courses in the World since it was opened in 2000, is an awe-inspiring example of magnificent design and golf-course construction, considered by many to be the best example of links golf outside of the UK and Ireland.

Grand Slam champion Gary Player says, “I feel a genuine affinity for Fancourt having been involved from day one as a designer of the original golf courses, adding, “Volvo selected my design at Jinji Lake International Golf Club for the 2010 Volvo China Open, and the quality they demand is great for the game of golf, and we look forward to hosting the Volvo Golf Champions at The Links at Fancourt in January.”

Masters Champion Charl Schwartzel added, “This is a very prestigious tournament and it is a huge compliment that Volvo has chosen to move the Volvo Golf Champions to South Africa. Fancourt will provide a fantastic showcase for all the wonderful assets South Africa has to offer. I spend so much of my year travelling around the world that I relish the opportunity to play in front of my home fans. In fact, I have won four of my seven professional titles in South Africa so the fans obviously give me a great home advantage which hopefully will help me in January.”

Kerrin Titmas, Chief Executive Officer of Fancourt commented, “It is a great honour and privilege for Fancourt and The Links to have been selected by Volvo, IMG and the European Tour to host a tournament of champions event of such a prestigious nature.  This event will give the world a view of the breath-taking Garden Route within our beautiful country, whilst The Links will undoubtedly prove to be a challenging test to the most formidable field of tournament champions that South Africa has ever hosted.”

George O’Grady CBE, Chief Executive of The European Tour said:  “We are delighted to announce the Volvo Golf Champions will take place at Fancourt Golf Resort in 2012 as the first genuine season-opening tournament of champions, a format we are very pleased to incorporate on our International Schedule. We cannot put a value on just how important long-term sponsors such as Volvo have been to the growth of The European Tour, Volvo having partnered us for over 20 years. We thank the Sunshine Tour for the opportunity to host this excellent tournament at one of South Africa’s leading courses and we look forward to welcoming this elite field of champions to the magnificent Links at Fancourt in a country where golf, and its golfers, are currently enjoying such a rich vein of form.”

Guy Kinnings, Managing Director, IMG Golf, the promoter and event co-owner with Volvo concluded, “The 2012 Volvo Golf Champions will deliver an exclusive, international line-up of proven champions to South Africa, where their countrymen’s golfing achievements speak for themselves. It is not before time that the European Tour has a tournament of champions and given the current health of the European Tour we will clearly gather an enviable field to Fancourt in January.”

For full eligibility criteria and more information please visit http://www.volvoingolf.com

« Back

Westwood and Donald head Nedbank Golf Challenge Field at Sun City

World number one Luke Donald heads a field including two former world number ones, three of the world’s top six players, four major winners, eight of the current top 10 on the European Tour’s Race to Dubai rankings, as well as seven Ryder Cup and two Presidents Cup stars in this year’s Nedbank Golf Challenge at the Gary Player Country Club at Sun City from December 1-4.

Masters champions Charl Schwartzel will be flying the flag for SA.

Donald is the second consecutive world number one to tee it up in the annual showpiece, following Westwood’s appearance and victory in 2010. The strength of this year’s field is enhanced by another former top-spot holder in Martin Kaymer.

“I think it speaks volumes for the status of the Nedbank Golf Challenge that for the second year in succession we have been able to secure the world’s number one golfer for our tournament,” said Alastair Roper, the Tournament Director of the Nedbank Golf Challenge.

“The fact that we also have the last three world number ones in our field in Luke Donald, Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer makes it that much more special.”

Kaymer, winner of the 2010 PGA Championship, also leads a strong list of major winners in the field, including 2010 US Open champion Graeme McDowell, reigning Augusta champion Schwartzel and current Open champion Darren Clarke.

The field includes a total of seven Ryder Cup players in Westwood, Donald, Kaymer, McDowell, Clarke, Thomas Bjorn and Robert Karlsson. Schwartzel and Kim Kyung-Tae are also both in the International team for this year’s Presidents Cup in Australia.

American Jason Dufner, who came close to a maiden major this year when he finished second to Keegan Bradley in the PGA Championship, joins McDowell, Kaymer, Kim and Dyson as the players making their debut in this year’s Nedbank Golf Challenge.

The 12-man field is:
Luke Donald (England)
Lee Westwood (England)
Martin Kaymer (Germany)
Charl Schwartzel (South Africa)
Graeme McDowell (Northern Ireland)
Darren Clarke (Northern Ireland)
Robert Karlsson (Sweden)
Thomas Bjorn (Denmark)
Simon Dyson (England)
Anders Hansen (Denmark)
Kim Kyung-Tae (South Korea)
Jason Dufner (USA)

Article courtesy of Sport24

« Back

South Africa’s Largest Amateur Golf Competition Heads to Gary Player Designed Sun City

South Africa’s biggest amateur golf competition heads to Sun City next week when 99 golfers from around the country gather to contest the Sanlam Cancer Challenge National Finals.

A total of 37 000 golfers have taken part in 800 club competitions nationwide over the past few months as part of the qualifying process for the Finals, which will be played on 24 and 25 October at both the Gary Player Country Club and Lost City Golf Course.

Those who qualified will compete in an individual stableford format in three male and female divisions, according to handicap.

But apart from the individual glory, the main drive of the competition has been to raise funds for the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA).

“The Sanlam Cancer Challenge is a partnership between Sanlam and the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA), and the money raised at these competitions is spent on cancer prevention and awareness, as well as patient care services,” says Gary van Loggerenberg, Sanlam’s sponsorship manager.

“Sanlam has sponsored the Cancer Challenge since 1993, and this year we expect to raise R2.5 million.”

Rachel Wall, CANSA’s Chief Business Development Officer, expressed her gratitude for the support from golfers around South Africa.

“Their support helps us to continue the fight against cancer in South Africa and brings us closer to the challenge of a cancer-free society within this century.”

Article courtesy of SuperSport

« Back

Laureus Member Tony Hawk Pleads With Members of Congress Not To Cut Sports Funding For Young People

Laureus World Sports Academy legend Tony Hawk has taken part in face-to-face meetings with United States Senators and Representatives on Capitol Hill to protest about budget cuts which are decimating sports funding for young people in the country.

Among the Members of Congress that Hawk met were James Langevin from Rhode Island, Brian P. Bilbray from California and Ron Kind from Wisconsin.

Following his lobbying, world-famous skateboarder Hawk met children from the Shaw Middle School in Washington, who are among those likely to be affected by the cuts.

Hawk was in Washington to attend the Up2Us National Summit, Think Globally, Play Local, which is co-sponsored by the Laureus Sport For Good Foundation.

Up2Us, which has been supported by Laureus for three years, is a coalition of 400 youth sports organisations in the United States. The focus of the summit was its latest research study that reveals youth sports budget cuts reached US$1.5 billion for the 2010-2011 school year, in addition to an estimated US$2 billion cut in 2009-2010.

Tony Hawk said: “Youth sports programmes in the US are being badly hit by budget cuts and I was grateful I had the opportunity to explain to some key people in Congress what a short sighted policy that is. Everyone involved in sport knows how valuable sport is as a means to help young people. It can give them focus, it teaches them respect and team-spirit and it can keep them off the streets and out of trouble. I explained to the Senators and Representatives the benefits of using sport as a tool to address the challenges facing US young people, such as obesity, underage pregnancy, high school drop-out rates and gang crime.”

Later in the day, Hawk presented the Up2Us Coach of the Year Award to Renato Paiva, the Executive Director of Acess Youth Academy. Renato, originally from Brazil, was a junior champion squash player in South America. On winning the award, he said: “I came to America from Brazil and received my citizenship two years ago. I can’t believe, today, I’m now standing in front of Capitol Hill; this really is the proudest moment of my life.”

Tony Hawk said: “There is still no doubt that for a young person who needs help the most important thing is to find someone who they can look up to, a role model who can give them direction and who they can respect. For the young boys and girls in our projects, as likely as not, this ends up being your coach. You just cannot underestimate the value of that personal support.”

“Children need to be active in order to remain healthy and avoid serious health problems like obesity and diabetes.  I hope that Tony’s efforts have a positive effect on the US Congress and help to save funding for sports and physical education,” said fellow Laureus member Gary Player.

Article courtesy of Laureus

« Back

Tiger Woods Joins The Rolex Family Of Ambassadors

In keeping with its passion for excellence and its long-standing commitment to the world of golf, Rolex is proud to announce its partnership with American golfer Tiger Woods.
This association pays tribute to the exceptional stature of Tiger Woods and the leading role he plays in forging the sport’s global appeal. It also constitutes a joint commitment to the future.
“Rolex has shown great vision in bringing Tiger to our family of golfing testimonials and know that if I could win a major in my 40’s, that Tiger has many more years to do the same. Welcome Tiger,” said golf legend and long-time Rolex ambassador Gary Player.
Rolex is convinced that Tiger Woods still has a long career ahead of him and that he has all the qualities required to continue to mark the history of golf. The brand is committed to accompanying him in his new challenges.
Tiger Woods is joining the family of Rolex ambassadors, who are chosen for their talent, their perseverance and their ability to communicate their passion for their sport. They include emerging young champions as well as established top male and female golfers.
The association between Rolex and golf stretches back to the 1960s with the brand’s support for the “Big Three”—Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player. Since then, the relationship has constantly been enriched. Today, it translates into partnerships not only with players but also with the leading and most prestigious actors in the world of golf, the governing bodies or the major professional tours and tournaments.

« Back

The 39th Annual Gary Player Classic Continues To Showcase Australia’s Best Young Talent

The Gary Player Classic, held for the past 39 years at the Pacific Club in Brisbane, has proven to be one of the most significant and successful events for Australian Junior golfers and has brought the PGA Tour into sight for many amateurs under the age of 21.  Jason Day, Adam Scott, Ian Baker-Finch and Greg Norman have all hoisted the trophy and this year’s winners could be showing up on your TV screen in the not too distant future.

“I am proud to help support Junior Golf in Australia and this long standing event.  Developing and maintaining a strong Junior Golf program is essential to the growth of the game nationally and globally and Golf Queensland has done a great job with the Gary Player Classic. Most people don’t understand just how difficult it is to create and run a tournament of this caliber - if you have one successful year you have done a great job.  Golf Queensland has done it for almost 40 years.  That shows the dedication to the advancement of Junior Golf and the professionalism and talent of the people involved with this tournament.  Well done!” said Gary Player.

The 2011 Gary Player Classic winners

18-20 Year Old Bracket

Simon Viitakangas – total 282

16-17 Year Old bracket

Jordan McCarthy – total 285

Under 15 Bracket

Jack Lane-Weston – total 288

« Back

Zimbali Welcomes The 2011 Gary Player Invitational South Africa

This year’s Gary Player Invitational South Africa Pro-Am charity golf tournament is moving to the stunning Zimbali Coastal Resort on KwaZulu-Natal’s Dolphin Coast.  Situated on a one of the most beautiful coast lines in South Africa, Zimbali is rife with lush vegetation and flora, an abundance of indigenous wildlife, world-class hotels and of course championship golf courses and facilities.

“We always look to improve the tournament each year and utilizing different locations helps keep the event fresh and dynamic.  Zimbali is a unique and beautiful part of South Africa and it is also a special place for our family and our business.  My uncle, Dr. Ian Player, started what is now called the Dusi Canoe Marathon in 1950 which culminates in Durban just a few miles away, and we have a new course under construction at Zimbali which we expect to open next year to compliment IFA Hotels’ new 5-Star hotel Fairmont Zimbali Resort,” said Marc Player, CEO, Black Knight International. 

“The goal of all of our GPI events is to raise funds for underprivileged children, but we also want everyone to have fun and relax,” said Gary Player.  “You look out at the ocean and see schools of dolphins and whale sharks swimming by and then turn around to see bushbuck wandering around the property.  And you get to play golf with interesting people while making a difference.  Man, you just can’t beat that,”  he added.

The Gary Player Invitational series has raised over $35 million for underprivileged children and would not be possible without the support of our partners - Coca-Cola, SAP, Rolex, Callaway, Audi, Johnnie Walker, South Africa Sunshine Tour, UPS, Heineken and Zimbali Coastal Resort.

« Back

Gary Player Design Allies With Axis Leisure Management To Expand Presence In China

Beijing, PRC - Gary Player Design and Beijing based leisure and hospitality specialists Axis Leisure Management have announced a strategic alliance aimed at expanding Gary Player Design’s presence in the rapidly expanding Chinese market.

“We are delighted to add to our current representation in China a resource of Axis’ caliber to help us expand the Gary Player family of brands.  Axis’ expertise in developing exceptional leisure and hospitality brands and Justin Downes’ extensive knowledge of the Chinese market will greatly enhance our ability to pursue new golf course design and real estate projects throughout China and the entire Asian region,” said Scott Ferrell, President of Gary Player Design.

“Axis Leisure Management is proud to be aligned with such an iconic individual, brand, and organization.  Our objective is to develop new opportunities for Gary Player Design and Player Real Estate and to offer our expertise in building luxury leisure and hospitality brands to the valued past, present and future clients of The Player Group,” said Axis President Justin Downes. 

In addition to Design Services, Axis Leisure Management will support the development and service of the Group’s brand portfolio including Gary Player Apparel, Gary Player Wine, Black Knight Enterprises and The Player Foundation.

In China since 2006, Beijing based Axis Leisure Management is owned and operated by Justin Downes and specializes in offering support and solutions in the development and operations of the golf, ski, hotel, resort, hospitality, leisure and entertainment sectors in Asia. 

For more information about Gary Player Design please contact Scott Ferrell, President
Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Phone: +1 864 477 2720.

For more information about Axis Leisure Management please contact Justin Downes, President

Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) / .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Ph: EN - +86 138 1108 7025
CN - +86 134 0102 7529 (Olivia Wang)

« Back