For the first time, a professional field of exclusively ladies professional golfers will join sporting icon and Grand Slam Champion, Gary Player, in Abu Dhabi’s fifth consecutive Gary Player Invitational (GPI). Part of the world’s leading cause-related golf series, the 2020 event will take place on International Women’s Day, Sunday 8th March, as a call to action for accelerating equality in golf.  

Taking place at the award-winning, Gary Player-designed Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, among the pros confirmed is winner of the inaugural Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open, Beth Allen, as well as leading Arab pro Maha Haddoui and regular GPI supporters Carly Booth, Amy Boulden, Olivia Cowan, Camilla Lennarth and Annabel Dimmock. First-time GPI participants include a sparkling blend of multiple Tour winners such as Florentyna Parker, Hannah Burke, Kylie Henry, Linda Wessberg and Becky Morgan, as well as up-and-coming stars Victoria Fricot and Sophie Lamb.

Tournament founder, Marc Player commented: “Our GPI events have led the way in supporting ladies professional golf by providing a platform for these outstanding talents to showcase their skills. As a result, many of our guests comment that the ladies pros were the highlight of their event experience. Building upon recent, more positive developments by the Tours and golf’s governing bodies, there is still a lot to be done to address inequality in golf and I call upon all stakeholders to up their commitment to ensuring equality in the game we all love so much. Our female players are a dominant force in the world of golf and we are committed to making golf a more inclusive sport.”

The pros will be joined by amateurs from the UAE business community as well as representatives from sponsors that include ADNOC, Abu Dhabi Ports, Al Masaood, Jumeirah, Rolex and Abu Dhabi Sports Council. 

Held under the Patronage of His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of State for Tolerance, the 2020 Gary Player Invitational, Abu Dhabi, is the first event of the global GPI series, which has helped The Player Foundation raise more than $65 million for charities worldwide.

The global series plays a key role in helping The Player Foundation work towards its goal of raising $100 million by 2025. 

Given this charitable focus, The Player Foundation, which circles the globe bringing aid to underprivileged children and impoverished communities, has once again selected local event beneficiary, the Zayed Higher Organization for Humanitarian Care and Special Needs as its charity of choice.