Cape Town – Rugby World Cup-winning Springbok Steven Kitshoff and an array of South
African sports legends will come together this weekend in support of The Player
Foundation and its drive to make a difference for charity through the Gary
Player Invitational at the Lost City Golf Course at Sun City.
Kitshoff and fellow Springboks Bryan Habana, Akona Ndungane, Odwa
Ndungane, Butch James, Patrick Lambie and Owen Nkumane as well as former
Proteas cricket captain Shaun Pollock, International Boxing Hall of Fame member
Brian Mitchell, and former Bafana Bafana stars Mark Williams, Jimmy Tau and
Matthew Booth join a field of men and women professional golfers and business
leaders in the 20th anniversary of the Gary Player Invitational and
to celebrate the over $64 million The Player Foundation has raised for charity,
and its goal of reaching $100 million.
And all spoke of their incredible admiration for the work of The Player
Foundation and the 20-year history of this tournament in changing people’s lives.
For Kitshoff in particular, the Gary Player Invitational and its ability
to use sport to change people’s lives resonates with a man who after the
Springboks’ Rugby World Cup triumph in Japan has witnessed how sport can unite
South Africa.
“It’s been a crazy couple of weeks after the Rugby World Cup victory.
South Africans just came out in their masses to share in our celebration and it
was incredible to see. The team put in so much hard work and made so many
sacrifices. It’s been an incredibly great journey,” said Kitshoff, who is
making his debut in the Gary Player Invitational.
The 36-hole tournament has for the past 20 years been the final
tournament on the global Gary Player Invitational series, and is the major
fundraiser for The Player Foundation’s selected beneficiaries Wings and Wishes
and the Blair Atholl School.
It’s a remarkable legacy that had Shaun Pollock in awe of the impact it
has made for charity.
“What The Player Foundation has done for charity has been remarkable.
What Gary Player achieved as a golfer is one thing, and then when that came to
an end the impact he has made through The Player Foundation is fantastic. He is
so passionate and full of energy, and even though he is 84 it doesn’t affect
the impact he is still having,” he said.
Pat Lambie, who is playing in his first Gary Player Invitational, is
just as impressed with the longstanding charity impact of this tournament and
The Player Foundation.
“I’ve heard so much about the Gary Player Invitational and I’m so
excited to be here. Gary Player is so inspirational. When he talks it makes you
just want to get up and conquer the world. It’s great to be a part of the good
work of The Player Foundation and see the impact it is making in people’s
lives,” he said.
Odwa Ndungane said he is certainly inspired to do his part for charity
this weekend.
“I was ecstatic when I received an invitation. We all know the
icon that Gary Player is, so to spend some time with him and then also see some
good come out of it for charity and to help The Player Foundation is a
wonderful opportunity. All young South Africans can learn from the amazing work
done by The Player Foundation,” he said.
