Golfing legend Gary Player, who designed both championship golf courses at Sun City, will be inducted into the South African Hall of Fame on November 6.
The induction ceremony dubbed ‘Knight of Hope’ will be attended by representatives from the government and business world, as well as members of the local and international sports community.
The South African Hall of Fame, located at Sun City, opened in November 2016 and provides an interactive exhibition hub where young and old are able to celebrate the country’s most memorable achievers. The legacy project – the first of it kind in South Africa – seeks to acknowledge and celebrate South Africans who have achieved greatness in sport, arts, culture, the performing arts, science and technology.
“Player, one of South Africa’s most celebrated sportspeople, businessman and humanitarian, is indeed a most decorous icon to be incorporated into the South African Hall of Fame. We are honoured to host the induction ceremony in the lead up to the 2017 Nedbank Golf Challenge which will play out on the Gary Player Golf Course for the 36th time in November,” said Rob Collins, chief strategy and marketing officer of Sun International.
At the age of 29, Player won the 1965 US Open and became the only non-American to win all four majors known as the Career Grand Slam. Player became only the third golfer in history to win the Career Grand Slam, following Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen. Only Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods have performed the feat since. Player has won 165 tournaments on six continents over six decades and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974.
Nicknamed the Black Knight, Mr Fitness and the International Ambassador of Golf, Player is also a renowned golf course architect of more than 325 design projects on five continents throughout the world, including the Gary Player Golf Course and the Lost City Golf Course at Sun City.
He operates The Player Foundation, which has a primary objective, namely to promote education for the underprivileged, around the world. In 1983, The Player Foundation established the Blair Atholl School in Johannesburg, South Africa, which has educational facilities for more than 500 students from kindergarten to Grade Eight.
For free daily local news in the south, visit our sister newspapers Alberton Record, Comaro Chronicle, Southern Courier and Get it Joburg South Magazine.
Remember to visit our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. You can also email our offices on cvdwalt@caxton.co.za, juliem@caxton.co.za or luckyt@caxton.co.za
Add us on WhatsApp today! Comaro Chronicle: 079 427 8074 and Southern Courier: 079 404 5789.
