Johannesburg - Former England and Manchester United football star Andy Cole and US Open champion Michael Campbell will join the Black Knight in this year's Gary Player Invitational presented by Coca-Cola at Sun City's Lost City Golf Club from November 24 to 27.
This is the final leg of the 2016 Gary Player Invitational charity golf series, which plays a major role in the Grand Slam champion's quest to raise $100 million for charity.
Both Cole and Campbell will make their debut on the Gary Player Invitational series, which this year has expanded to six tournaments worldwide all raising funds for The Player Foundation's various charitable projects supporting underprivileged children. “I'm really excited and feel privileged to be taking part in the Gary Player Invitational tournament,” said Cole. “I'm also looking forward to spending more time in beautiful South Africa.”
The two stars will be joined by South African Olympic golfer Paula Reto and European Tour winner Haydn Porteous who are part of the first wave of participants named for this prestigious charity tournament. “I'm so pleased that Andy and Michael will be joining us for the first time and would also like to welcome two of our brightest young South African stars in Paula and Haydn,” said tournament host Gary Player.
“The fact that they have taken time out of their busy schedules to contribute to our goal is very humbling.” Cole's glittering football career includes playing for Arsenal, Newcastle United, Blackburn Rovers, Manchester City and others. But he is most remembered for his time with Manchester United, including his historic five goals in the club's 9-0 win over Ipswich Town in 1995.
He also made 15 appearances for England's international team. Campbell won the 2005 US Open in a career which featured 15 professional titles and also included the 2005 HSBC World Match Play Championship.
Porteous claimed his maiden European Tour title at the 2016 Joburg Open, while Reto heads to Sun City as an LPGA Tour campaigner, as well as one of South Africa's first Olympic golfers under the captaincy of the Black Knight. As golf's global ambassador, Player has set the target of raising $100 million for children's charities through The Player Foundation bolstered by this series of tournaments in the United States, United Kingdom, China, Japan, South Africa and the UAE.
The Foundation has already raised more than $62 million, and Player believes the goal of $100 million is within reach. “We have so many people around the world who are seeing what we are doing for charity and want to support us with donations to help us reach our target,” Player said.
“We have golf stars, businessmen, athletes and movie stars all supporting our cause. As a result we've been able to help so many children in need.”
The Gary Player Invitational presented by Coca-Cola, which finds itself in its 17th year as South Africa's premier charity event, has helped The Player Foundation raise more than R800 million across the world in an effort to help sustain the worthy causes.
All proceeds raised from the event will go to various selected charity beneficiaries including Wings and Wishes and Wildlands.
African News Agency