The Gary Player Invitational presented by Coca-Cola has attracted a host of top professionals, businessmen and sporting greats for the 23-26 November 2017 tournament at Sun City’s Lost City Golf Course.
Former European Ryder Cup captain and 2011 Open champion Darren Clarke, multiple European Tour winner Brandon Stone and legendary women’s golfer and four-time Major champion Laura Davies are amongst the professional field that will join host Gary Player in his annual charity tournament.
“I’m delighted to be returning to the Gary Player Invitational. It continually astounds me how much money Mr Player and The Player Foundation have already raised for underprivileged communities, and I am always humbled to be able to play a role in supporting this important work,” said Clarke.
Spanish professional and two-time European Tour winner Ignacio Garrido as well as Norwegian golfer Caroline Martens and American golfer Victoria Elizabeth are also in the professional field.
Springbok rugby great Chester Williams has added his name to the celebrity contingent, joining renowned footballers Ruud Gullit, Robbie Fowler and Matthew Booth, and actor and entrepreneur Masego “Maps” Maponyane.
“This is my first appearance in the Gary Player Invitational and I’m extremely excited. I’ve travelled to South Africa a few times and it’s a place I always look forward to going, the warmth and friendliness is outstanding,” said Fowler. “Mr Player is a legend in all sport, and the work he is doing through The Player Foundation is making such a difference around the world. So, I’m really looking forward to being part of this effort.”
One of the most diverse fields in the history of the Gary Player Invitational presented by Coca-Cola will make for a fitting end to the global series. The Union of Golf and Giving has travelled to the United Arab Emirates, China, the United Kingdom and the United States this year as part of the drive to raise funds to strengthen and uplift disadvantaged individuals and communities and thrives to manifest in humanitarian efforts throughout the world.
To date the series has raised more than $64 million for charity, with the Black Knight’s quest of reaching $100 million by 2025.
“This is one of the most exciting fields we’ve had in the South African leg of the tournament and we are extremely grateful for our friends in the golf world and from other sporting fields for their support of The Player Foundation’s charity efforts. “We look forward to welcoming the field to an event full of fun, entertainment and support,” said Marc Player, CEO of Black Knight International.
The format of the 36-hole tournament sees leading professional golfers paired with sports stars, celebrities and business leaders in each fourball, and in what is golf’s most successful charity pro-am series.
The Player Foundation will be supporting South African charities, Wildlands and its work in impoverished communities with waste recycling projects, as well as Wings and Wishes which funds transport for critically ill children to receive the specialized treatment they need to survive.
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For more information on the Gary Player Invitational, visit www.garyplayerinvitational.com and follow @GPInvitational on Twitter and Instagram – #GOLFandGIVING.
ABOUT BLACK KNIGHT INTERNATIONAL
Established in 1983 by Marc Player, Black Knight International is a global holding company for The Player Group and the constantly expanding family of Gary Player® brands. With a powerful presence in North and South America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa, Black Knight is a multicultural and multilingual company offering branded services for the leisure and real estate industries. This rapidly growing firm is diverse and infused with the same tenaciousness and drive as Gary Player, world renowned iconic golfer. The holding company divisions include: Gary Player Design, Player Real Estate, Black Knight Enterprises, Black Knight Solutions, Black Knight Capital, Gary Player Academies, and The Player Foundation.
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 five 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 Abu Dhabi, 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 more than $64 million 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.
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