FILE - Gary Player International team captain and wife Vivienne applaud during the round 1 foursome matches of The Presidents Cup on September 27, 2007. Photo: S.Greenwood/Getty Images via AFP
Johannesburg - The Sunshine Tour and the Gary and Vivienne Player Foundation on Thursday confirmed that the Gary and Vivienne Player Invitational, scheduled to be played in January, has been postponed as a result of the recent international travel restrictions placed upon South Africa.
The charity tournament was scheduled to be played at The Lost City Golf Course at Sun City on January 22 and 23 as a tribute to the life and legacy of the late Vivienne Player, and featuring a field of 20 Sunshine Tour professionals, celebrities, sports stars and business leaders all raising money for the Blair Atholl Pre-Primary School.
“Regrettably, due to the recent international travel restrictions, we have made the difficult decision to postpone the inaugural Gary and Vivienne Player Invitational. We are working with the Sunshine Tour on finding the best possible date to host this special event, in honour of my dearest Vivienne,” said Gary Player.
The #SunshineTour and the Gary and Vivienne Player Foundation have confirmed that the Gary and Vivienne Player Invitational, scheduled to be played in January 2022, has been postponed as a result of the recent international travel restrictions placed upon South Africa. pic.twitter.com/xdgIj5TTuC
— Sunshine Tour (@Sunshine_Tour) December 9, 2021
Sanctioned and supported by the Sunshine Tour, the tournament was set to feature a field of celebrities, business leaders, and 15 Sunshine Tour professionals competing in aid of helping the Gary and Vivienne Player Foundation to raise funds for the Blair Atholl Pre-Primary School.
The Sunshine Tour professionals would qualify by virtue of their finishes in the inaugural Gary and Vivienne Player Challenge, a R1 million tournament. The top 15 professionals at the end of this tournament would then qualify to play in the Gary and Vivienne Player Invitational.
Player has said that the new tournament, which would have formed part of the Sunshine Tour’s schedule, was in memory of his wife Vivienne, who died from pancreatic cancer in August this year.
“Vivienne shared my love for people and my desire to make a difference in people’s lives and to help bring some joy to disadvantaged communities. Her life was dedicated to the people around her – from supporting me in my career, to raising our children, and then to working with me in our various efforts to give back to those in need.
“The Gary and Vivienne Player Invitational will not only be a fitting tribute to Vivienne, but it will also continue her legacy and the important work we will continue to do through the Gary and Vivienne Player Foundation,” said Player.
African News Agency (ANA)
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