Golf icon Gary Player targets $100 million for charity

The continued support of Coca-Cola and Sun International for a further three years is a resounding endorsement of a tournament that first teed off in 2000 as part of Gary Player’s vision to raise funds for underprivileged children in South Africa. The tournament has since grown to include a global series of six tournaments worldwide raising more than $62 million for charity.

The Gary Player Invitational remains the single most influential series of charity golf tournaments in the game, travelling to Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, China, Abu Dhabi and South Africa as part of Player’s quest to raise $100 million for underprivileged children.

The South African tournament will be played from 24-27 November at the "African Inspired" Gary Player-designed Lost City Golf Course, and has already secured 2005 U.S. Open champion Michael Campbell and South African European Tour winner and rising star Haydn Porteous as part of a stellar field.

At the official launch of the 2016 Gary Player Invitational presented by Coca-Cola on Thursday, Player expressed his excitement and gratitude about the future of this tournament.

“It is so humbling that every year we are able to bring together our friends, professional golfers, celebrities and some of the world’s most influential business leaders to take part in our pro-am tournament that has one common goal, and that is to help our fellow human beings,” said Player. 

“But you cannot do this without the support we receive from our partners. The Coca-Cola Company has been such a longstanding supporter of our philanthropic efforts and we are blessed to have them as our partner. Sun International also shares our vision and does an incredible amount of good in the local community around Sun City. I am extremely thankful to have a Major champion such as Michael and a young star like Haydn lend their support to our cause.

“I’m very proud to have such a powerful team behind our tournament, and it’s one of the reasons I know we will be able to reach our goal of raising $100 million for charity. It’s only when you have partners who are so closely aligned to your own vision that you can truly make a difference, and all our global sponsors have always shared this vision of creating a sustainable future for our communities.”

The global golfing icon did a slight detour from outlining his philanthropic initiatives and took some time to share some moments from his Olympic experience, where he captained the South African men's and women's golf teams as the game made it's re-appearance at the world's biggest sporting event in 94 years.

"For me to dine with 11 000 people in one room was a remarkable experience. As a young man I would have rowed over to represent South Africa at the Olympics," said Player.

"When I saw people turning down the opportunity, I got very concerned but I am convinced that golf is here to stay at the Olympics big time. It was in the top three draw cards to watch events in Rio," he added.

He also expressed his excitement at the pending return of Tiger Woods to competitive golf in mid-October.

"Tiger Woods was on his way towards becoming the greatest athlete ever. He would have surpassed Mohammad Ali's greatness and sphere of influence if he had continued the way he was going. This man was playing such a vital role in attracting crowds and media attention. It was a tragedy what happened to him. Everyone wants to see him return, but he's got a massive mountain to climb.

The Black Knight's association with both The Coca-Cola Company and Sun International goes back many years.

In 1965, the same year Player became the first non-American and only the third golfer in history to win the career Grand Slam, he and Coca-Cola first joined forces in a relationship that has remained strong ever since as they’ve promoted their “Healthy Choice” initiative and their focus on juice and water.

Player designed both the golf courses at Sun City, Sun International’s flagship resort, including the iconic Gary Player Country Club which helped put the resort on the map globally, and The Lost City Golf Course over which the GPI will be played.

He is also the longstanding ambassador of Sun International’s flagship golf tournament, the Nedbank Golf Challenge, and this year is the tournament’s official host. Player has played a key role in the elevation of its status to a major European Tour event which this year forms part of the elite Final Series of the Race to Dubai.

Since the tournament moved to its new home of The Lost City Golf Course in 2013, the first three years of this partnership have been a tremendous success as it has raised record amounts of money for underprivileged children in South Africa.