Four days of golf and giving
ARY Player turns 78 on November 1 but he still does 1 200 “crunches” four days a week, and mixes cement on his Colesberg farm where he scampers up a hill early every morning before doing a session of squats and then diving into a pool for some swimming training.
Wow! It’s no wonder that the man they call Mr Fitness, owner of nine majors, nine senior majors and the coveted Grand Slam of golf, still averages an under-par 70 every time he plays a round of golf.
He takes transcending one’s age to a completely new level – like the time he shot 67 in a Legends event in America this year.
But the so-called Black Knight’s real passion these days is not so much playing golf, but using the sport to raise money for charity through his foundation and the Gary Player Invitational (GPI).
Details of the 14th edition of this event were announced at a media briefing in Joburg yesterday.
For the first time Sun International will also be involved, and this year’s tournament takes place on the Lost City golf course at Sun City from November 14-17, in four days of “golf and giving”.
“We are delighted to now be involved with Black Knight International and The Player Foundation in this prestigious event,” said Mike van Vuuren, managing executive of Sun City.
“We have a long-standing
Grelationship with Gary Player, and it feels only right for us to collaborate together in this philanthropic endeavour.”
Featuring teams of pro golfers paired with celebrities and leading businessmen, the invitational will see four days of golf, glamour and giving in this leg of series.
“I am thrilled that Sun City will host the final leg of our global GPI series, which has experienced another recordbreaking fund-raising year,” said Player, the tournament host.
the global charity
Following successful GPI events this year in Augusta in the US and then London, the next leg of the series is in Shanghai on November 4 and 5 before ending the year at Sun City and The Palace Hotel with a star-studded line-up.
“Our foundation has raised an amazing R500 million for charities across the globe,” said Marc Player, Black Knight International chief executive. “We look forward to a successful event at Sun City.”
Funds raised at the blacktie auction at The Palace on Friday, November 15, will be shared between the Wildlands Conservation Trust and Wings and Wishes as this year’s selected charity beneficiaries.
“At last year’s South African charity auction R4.3m was raised,” said Player.
“Hopefully, we can top that this time.”