George, South Africa

Tshabalala Hunting Another Gary Player Invitational Victory

Vincent Tshabalala certainly believes there is a touch of the divine behind his chances of another victory in the Gary Player Invitational, presented by Coca-Cola, at The Links at Fancourt this weekend.

“Obama won the election, and if I win this tournament again, then it proves God is black,” said Tshabalala, who has twice won the betterball competition – first with Tim Clark in 2004 and then with Ernie Els a year later – of this pro-celebrity charity tournament.

But it’s in the fourball alliance side of the tournament where his best chances of another victory lie.

The 1976 French Open champion heads into Sunday’s final day tied for the lead with his team of Sunshine Tour professional Thomas Aiken, Olympic swimmer Roland Schoeman and businessman Joseph Stoltz, on 15-under-par.

But it’s a three-way tie for the lead, including the team of double US Open champion Retief Goosen – with Italian professional Costantino Rocca, Spanish model Ines Sastre and businessman Alan Pearson – and the team of Sunshine Tour professional Omar Sandys – including European Seniors Tour professional Peter Mitchell, British DJ Jonathan Joseph (DJ Spoony) and businesswoman Mary Weaver.

Goosen and his professional partner Rocca are also tied for the lead in the professional betterball competition on nine under par alongside Bobby Lincoln and Garth Mulroy, two strokes clear of the field.

Goosen’s fourball alliance team actually led the competition by a single stroke playing the 18th. But both he and Rocca bogeyed the hole to see them slip into a tie for the lead.

“It was an amazing round until the 18th,” said Goosen, who started strong with a chip-in for birdie at the first. “That got the momentum going for us as a team and we really combined well. But we’re one behind, so the final day will certainly be exciting.”

Schoeman is relishing a possible first victory in this tournament alongside his professionals Tshabalala and Aiken. Aiken was particularly impressive on the day, carding seven birdies on the tough Links layout.

“I’m just glad we as the amateurs could come to the party a bit and not leave it all to our professionals,” said Schoeman.

As the co-leaders, DJ Spoony knows a thing or two about team competitions. At the request of Nick Faldo, he accompanied the European Ryder Cup team to America recently to help inspire the players.

“We had a lot of chances out there,” he said of their day on The Links. “But this is almost like a Ryder Cup scenario where you try so hard and don’t want to let your partners down. I think we may have tried too hard.”
Fourball Alliance (two scores to count):
-15 Vincent Tshabalala, Thomas Aiken, Roland Schoeman, Joseph Stoltz
-15 Peter Mitchell ENG, Omar Sandys, DJ Spoony ENG, Mary Weaver ENG
-14 Costantino Rocca ITA, Retief Goosen, Inés Sastre ESP, Alan Pearson
-11 John Bland, Adilson da Silva BRA, Shaun Pollock, Bobby Jones
-9 Bobby Lincoln, Garth Mulroy, Corrie Sanders, Ross Calder
-3 Rodger Davis AUS, Carin Koch SWE, Kenny Dalglish SCO, Alex Maditsi
-2 Sally Little, Ronan Rafferty IRE, Victor Matfield, Dr Andrew Golding
+5 Gary Player, Maria Verchenova RUS, Lucas Radebe, Hans-Walter Peters GER

Betterball Medal (professionals only):
-9 Retief Goosen & Costantina Rocca ITA; Bobby Lincoln & Garth Mulroy
-7 John Bland & Adilson da Silva BRA
-5 Vincent Tshabalala & Thomas Aiken; Peter Mitchell ENG & Omar Sandys
-4 Rodger Davis AUS & Carin Koch SWE
-1 Sally Little & Ronan Rafferty IRE
LVL Gary Player & Maria Verchenova RUS

Lali Stander
Media Manager
Gary Player Invitational
Tel: +27 82 990 7150
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