The Gary Player Invitational (GPI) tees off at the Zimbali Country Club in KwaZulu-Natal for its 13th annual event from Thursday 22 November to Sunday 25 November 2012.
Presented by Coca-Cola and hosted by Gary Player, the GPI format pairs major golf champions with Hollywood celebrities, chart-topping musicians and leading businessmen, to make a difference in the lives of South Africans in need.
The Zimbali event will conclude this year’s global series and closeout another recording breaking fundraising year. The Player Foundation has raised an astonishing R400 million worldwide and is quickly approaching the R500 million milestone on the eve of its 30th anniversary in 2013.
The participant line-up for 2012 includes 9-time Major winner Gary Player, former Ryder Cup captains Sam Torrance and Ian Woosnam, also a Major winner, as well as Champions Tour Major winner Roger Chapman. Celebrities include soapie star Jack Wagner of the Bold & Beautiful fame, red-headed beauty Angie Everhart who starred alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger in the action-comedy Last Action Hero and Westlife’s Brian McFadden.
“It has been eight years since I last played in the Gary Player Invitational and I am amazed at how the tournament, and series, has gone from strength to strength. I am really looking forward to returning to South Africa and I feel privileged that I can line up with my fellow professionals to raise money for charity and help our host to continue his good work,” said former Ryder Cup captain Sam Torrance.
Charity beneficiaries receiving funds from the GPI include Wings and Wishes, a charity offering transportation for critically ill children to the Red Cross Children’s Hospital in Cape Town, and the Wildlands Conservation Trust in KwaZulu-Natal. The Wildlands Conservation Trust works to create a sustainable future and spearheads various conservation initiatives that include protecting the South African rhino population, a cause close to the heart of Player resulting from the influence of his famed conservationist brother, Dr. Ian Player.
The tournament is open to the public on Saturday November 24 and Sunday November 25. Tickets are R75 a day and available from Computicket. Entry for children under 18, accompanied by an adult, is free. The tournament starts at 10am on Saturday and at 9am on Sunday.
For more information on the event, visit www.garyplayerinvitational.com and follow @GPInvitational on Twitter.
Gary Player Invitational 2012 Series
United States – Georgia
Dates: 9 April 2012
Champions Retreat, Augusta
United Kingdom – England
Dates: 23 July 2012
Wentworth Golf Club, Surrey
China – Shanghai
Dates: 29 – 30 October 2012
Shanghai Links
South Africa – Kwazulu – Natal
Dates: 22 – 25 November 2012
Fairmont Zimbali Coastal Resort and Country Club
About The Player Foundation
The Player Foundation was established in 1983 by Marc Player. 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 Wildlands Conservation Trust in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, and AIDS infected children in the Yunnan Province of China. Since its establishment, The Player Foundation has donated 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.
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, or Black Knight International, visit www.garyplayer.com or contact Debbie Longenecker at debbie@garyplayer.com telephone +1-864-477-2720.
About The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world’s largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands. Led by Coca-Cola, the world’s most valuable brand, the company’s portfolio features 15 billion-dollar brands including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, Vitamin Water, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply, Georgia and Del Valle. Globally, it is the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, ready-to-drink coffees, and juices and juice drinks. Through the world’s largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy its beverages at a rate of 1.8 billion servings a day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, the company is focused on initiatives that reduce its environmental footprint and which support active, healthy living; as well as creating a safe, inclusive work environment for its associates; and enhancing the economic development of the communities where it operates. Together with its bottling partners, the company ranks among the world’s top 10 private employers with more than 700 000 system associates. For more information, visit www.thecoca-colacompany.com, follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/CocaColaCo or visit our blog at www.coca-colablog.com
Contact:
ISSUED BY: SPLASH PR & MEDIA CONSULTANTS
ON BEHALF OF: THE GARY PLAYER INVITATIONAL
FOR FURTHER INFO CECILY MCLANE
+27 21 447 1208
cecily@splashpr.co.za
FOR COMMENT MARC TUDHOPE
+27 21 671 5159
marc@garyplayer.co.za
