Staff WriterWhen Gary Player turns 90 this November, South Africa won’t just be blowing out candles—it’ll be rolling out a sporting red carpet the size of the Gary Player Country Club fairways. In one of the biggest gatherings of icons the country has ever seen, stars from rugby, football, cricket, golf and beyond will descend on Sun City to celebrate a milestone few reach and even fewer do so with nine majors and a legacy like his.
A Hall of Fame Weekend
From 1–2 November, the Gary and Vivienne Player Invitational will transform Sun City’s two championship layouts into a living, breathing hall of fame. Springbok greats Bryan Habana, Victor Matfield and Steven Kitshoff will join Bafana Bafana legends Lucas Radebe, Shaun Bartlett and Mark Fish.
They’ll be walking the same fairways as Proteas heroes Herschelle Gibbs, Jonty Rhodes and JP Duminy, Liverpool icon Sir Kenny Dalglish, International Boxing Hall of Famer Brian Mitchell, golf star David Frost, former Miss World Rolene Strauss and Irish musician Brian McFadden.
That’s not a pro-am field; that’s the sporting equivalent of the Avengers assembling in golf shoes.
Backing the spectacle will be corporate heavyweights Sun International, BMW, Citadel, Tabono, The Pro Shop, Rolex and Cell C—longstanding partners of the Gary and Vivienne Player Foundation South Africa (GVPF SA), which funds vital educational initiatives like The Blair Atholl Pre-Primary School.
Sunshine Tour Joins the Celebration
It wouldn’t be a proper birthday for Gary Player without a few swings being taken in his honour. A 39-strong Sunshine Tour field will also compete in a special tribute, with names like Oliver Bekker, Jean Hugo, Luca Filippi, Yurav Premlall and Lyle Rowe among those set to tee it up. It’s a fitting nod to a man whose influence shaped generations of South African professionals.
A Legacy Bigger Than Sport
The tournament and festivities coincide with Gary Player’s 90th birthday weekend, but as Nelson Mandela once said, his legacy reaches far beyond the game:
“Through his tremendous influence as a great athlete, Mr Player accomplished what many politicians could not…His accomplishments as a humanitarian and statesman are equal to, and may even surpass, his accomplishments as an athlete. That is a legacy that will last forever.”
Player has spent his life trying to live up to those words. For his 90th, he’s asking the world to join him in a campaign of compassion: “90 Acts of Kindness”—a global call for people to give back, and for young people to “Become a Future Player” in their communities.
“In life we can be called to many things. Some to become great sportsmen. Some to entertain. Some to become business leaders. And we all walk those paths of our lives. But all of us, no matter who we are, are called to be kind to one another. I’m overwhelmed by the number of people who have shown me kindness in my life, and who will do so again by joining us at Sun City. And I hope it inspires all of us to not give in to the cynicism of the world, and to keep fighting to be kind,” said Player.
Full Field of Stars
Sports Stars and Celebrities
Gary Player, Brian McFadden, Keith Duffy, Sir Kenny Dalglish, Steven Kitshoff, Patrick Lambie, Schalk Brits, Jonty Rhodes, Rolene Strauss, Shaun Barlett, Victor Matfield, Owen Nkumane, JP Duminy, Herschelle Gibbs, Jimmy Tau, Maps Maponyane, David Kau, Mark Williams, Siviwe Soyizwapi, Stefan Terblanche, Butch James, Brian Baloyi, Corinne Vidén, Isabella Deilert, Bryan Habana, Jean de Villiers, Brian Mitchell, Naas Botha, Lucas Radebe, Mark Fish, Odwa Ndungane, Akona Ndungane, Robbi Kempson, Bongani Kumalo, Jaco van der Westhuyzen, Jaco Kriel, Stanton Fredericks.
Sunshine Tour Professionals
Oliver Bekker, Luis Carrera, Pieter Moolman, Jean Hugo, Heinrich Bruiners, Luca Filippi, Samual Simpson, Malcolm Mitchell, Luke Jerling, Yurav Premlall, Jacques Blaauw, Jacquin Hess, Makhetha Mazibuko, Karabo Mokoena, Keenan Davidse, Keelan Africa, Warwick Purchase, Altin van der Merwe, Ricky Handler, Lyle Rowe, Christiaan Burke, Fredrick From, Martin Rohwer, Jason Roets, Wynand Dingle, Graham van der Merwe, Conner Mackenzie, Jaco Prinsloo, Xander Basson, Jack Hawksby, Jake Redman, Jordan Duminy, Matthew Spacey, Ethan Smith, Doug McGuigan, Quintin Wilsnach, James Mack, Keelan van Wyk, David Frost.
Join the Celebration
The Gary Player 90th birthday celebrations promise more than nostalgia—they’re a reminder of the power of sport to bring people together.
📌 Join the #90Acts campaign: Share your own acts of kindness on social media using the hashtag #90Acts.
💻 Support the Gary & Vivienne Player Foundation South Africa: garyandvivienneplayerfoundationdonate.org/southafrica
