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.
For further information please contact Guy DeSilva, Media Director, Black Knight International, +1 561 624 0300 x642, or guy@garyplayer.com
About The Player Foundation
The Player Foundation was established in 1983. What began as an effort to provide education, nutrition, medical care and athletic activities, for a small community of disadvantaged children living on the outskirts of Johannesburg, South Africa has now blossomed into an organization that circles the globe bringing aid to underprivileged children and impoverished communities.
The Foundation is funded primarily by four Gary Player Invitational events presented through Black Knight International. Pairing celebrities and professional golfers from the PGA and Champions Tours with businessmen and international sports figures, the annual tournaments are staged in the United States, China, Europe and South Africa. The proceeds of these tournaments and other special events provide funding for an ever- expanding number of institutions around the world, including the Blair Atholl Schools in South Africa, the Pleasant City Elementary School in Palm Beach, the Masizame in Plettenberg Bay, South Africa, and AIDS infected children in Baoshan, a drug-infested city located on the China-Burma border. Since its establishment, The Player Foundation has donated over $35 million dollars to the support of children’s charities, the betterment of impoverished communities and the expansion of educational opportunities throughout the world.
Gary Player, acknowledged as a world class humanitarian, believes that the strength of our future depends upon the abilities of our children. “I have found that the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others does not thrust itself upon us,” Player says, “But we do not need to look hard for it either. When you spot the chance to give back to the world, act on it. You will have made life better, for others, and for yourself.”
The Gary Player Foundation is a non-profit 501 C (3) organization managed by Black Knight International in Palm Beach, Florida.
For further information on The Player Foundation, Gary Player, Gary Player Design, Player Real Estate or Black Knight International, visit www.garyplayer.com or contact Debbie Longenecker at debbie@garyplayer.com telephone +1-561-624-0300.
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