Black Knight International Presents a Union of Golf and Giving: China 2011

Aiken and Sandys Strengthen SA Challenge at 2009 Gary Player Invitational

South African golfers Thomas Aiken and Omar Sandys are among the latest additions to join this year’s field at the Gary Player Invitational presented by Coca-Cola at The Links at Fancourt in George from 26-29 November 2009.

The Gary Player Invitational series has raised more than R250-million for charities worldwide and the 10th anniversary of the South African edition is set to continue the success story with a star-studded line-up of Champions and Regular Tour golfers, as well as top business people and celebrities from the world of entertainment.

Aiken and Sandys will form part of the field of this South African challenge alongside tournament host Gary Player as well as Retief Goosen and reigning Masters Champion Angel Cabrera and a slew of formidable European Senior Tour professionals, including Mark McNulty, John Cook and Bill Longmuir.

Aiken, who made his debut last year alongside Joseph Stoltz, Vincent Tshabalala and Roland Schoeman, says he better bring home the trophy this year, as friends Richard Sterne and Louis Oosthuizen expect nothing less than the best from him for giving him another shot at The Links.

“Richard will be at the World Cup and Louis and his wife Nella will have a new bundle of joy to share, so they have both told me with Retief and Angel in the field, I’d better fly the flag for the young guns,” said Aiken.

“I am absolutely delighted to return. We mostly play in Europe and it’s not every day we get the opportunity to battle one of the best courses in South Africa.  At the Gary Player Invitational we have the added benefit of competing for charity.” 

Aiken said he was impressed with how Goosen approached the ‘green monster’ last year and is looking forward to seeing how Cabrera copes with the length and challenges of The Links.

“But competitions aside, this event is all about the children. Isn’t it wonderful that we can be playing for the betterment of their lives so close to the Christmas holidays?”

After half-a-dozen appearances, Sandys is a familiar and popular face at Africa’s premier charity event, which remains the highlight of his season.

“I just love coming back to the Gary Player Invitational,” said Sandys, who was on the winning side in the 2006 Team Fourball Alliance competition with David Lyons, Sandy Lyle and Ashleigh Simon.

“I really enjoy the camaraderie in the team competition and the fact that we pull together for a win-win result – to win the tournament and to make the most possible money for charity.

“This is the one event in the season I will miss for nothing; in fact, I would probably walk to George if it came down to that.”

Two-time US Open winner Goosen will be back looking for his first double win in the tournament.

The Goose won the professional betterball competition in 2000 and 2006 and the Team Fourball Alliance last year alongside businessman Alan Pearson, senior professional Costantino Rocca and supermodel and actress Inés Sastre.

Other stars in the field include Sir Clive Woodward, top British entertainer DJ Spoony, Ard Matthews - guitarist and lead vocalist of internationally famed rock band, Just Jinjer and senior professionals such as Bertus Smit.

A who’s who of top business people complete the current line-up in the prestigious event, including Dr. Hasso Plattner of SAP, Dr Hans-Walter Peters and Hendrik Riehmer of Berenberg Bank, Stokes Land Group president Hugh Connerty and Abdullah Saeed Al Naboodah, chairman of the Al Naboodah Group.

The Links course will provide a different challenge this time around, with the course having undergone a successful upgrade and several enhancements under the guidance of tournament host and Grand Slam Champion, Gary Player.

The changes include general maintenance, overall aesthetics and improved playability. All 18 greens were resurfaced with A4 Bent to address the presence of poa annua and the new greens are running a lot faster. There were also some subtle changes made to the contours on five of the greens (holes 1, 2, 3, 10 and 12) to create more level surfaces around the hole and the renovation process also included the renovation of all the bunkers.

Further participants will be announced in the weeks leading up to the event.