“Experiencing the assembly at Grey College felt like winning the British Open.”
These were the words of South African and World golfing great, Gary Player, during his visit to the City of Roses on Monday.
The nine-time major champion visited the Free State school where he was the guest speaker at the Grey Academy & e-Learning programme fundraiser breakfast.The boys were in for a treat when Player addressed them in assembly before speaking to businessmen and -women.
Player left the assembly with tears in his eyes after being overwhelmed by the unique experience in the hall.The 80-year-old golfing legend then personally chatted to a group of the boys who have experienced hardship in their lives in one form or another and gave them words of encouragement and valuable advice.
Working with the underprivileged and the youth has long been a passion of Player, both on and off the golf course, and the next crop of young South African golfers really excites the inspirational figure.
With players such as Brandon Stone, Haydn Porteous, Zander Lombard and Bloemfontein’s very own Dean Burmester making waves in local and international golf, Player, told Courant that he is optimistic about South African golf entering a golden era.“It’s very exciting for me and the thing that I’m the most excited about, is that there is golf tournament of prominence everywhere in the world every week.
“These guys are getting more publicity for South Africa than any other sport, without a question. They are getting people of the high echelon as well as the lower echelon or the lower middle-class type person. What we need is tourism, badly, in South Africa, because our crime is so high and people are scared to come here.
“If we never had crime everybody would have a job and a home and we would live in luxury. But be that as it may, they are representing us so well, they behave well, they dress well, they speak well and they are playing well. I’m so proud of them. In their ambassadorial roles they are number one.”
While Branden Grace is tipped to be the next South African golfer to win one of the four majors, the aforementioned names are certainly ones to remember and it’s almost without a doubt that they will be following in the footsteps of Player, Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel and Trevor Immelman.
The next major will be the US Open at the Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pennsylvania. – MORGAN PIEK
