GALLERY: Team Lombard victorious at invitational

McFadden was delighted to be on the winning team in this tournament for the second time.

December 2, 2019

Annette van Schalkwyk 3 minutes read

HE had to wait one week longer to celebrate a victory at the notorious Lost City golf course at Sun City with his team.

The 20^th anniversary of the Gary Player Invitational (GPI) was held under hot and humid conditions and missing out on the Nedbank Golf Challenge title, Lombard and his team of pop star Brian McFadden, businessmen Adrian Moors and Mark Ilsley sparkled when they came out victorious winning the GPI on 188 points which put them three points in the lead.

McFadden was delighted to be on the winning team in this tournament for the second time.

“I won here when Gary Player celebrated his 80^th birthday, and now I’ve won on the 20^th anniversary of the Gary Player Invitational,” he said.

“But the truth is that it’s just incredible to play a part in what the Gary Player Invitational Series is doing around the world. They have raised over $64 million for The Player Foundation and you can see all the people it has helped. We’re just here to try and do our part.”

Moors said, “It’s fantastic to win, but it’s more about the fundraising and how many people benefit from the work of The Player Foundation.”

An incredible R2.3 million raised for The Player Foundation over the weekend. The funds raised will be used to help the selected beneficiaries Wings and Wishes and the Blair Atholl School.

“We are so grateful for the support of The Player Foundation,” said Inge Human, Manager: Wings and Wishes.

“Government and private healthcare do not pay for the transport of chronically ill children from rural areas to facilities where they can be treated, so that’s the role we fulfill. We transport six children seven days a week and 365 days a year.”

“The Player Foundation and the Gary Player Invitational are our biggest donors and without them we would not be able to help these children,” she said.

Winning team member of the Webb Ellis Cup, Springbok prop, Steven Kitshoff, said that there is better way than be part of such a fundraising event as the GPI in order to help golf legend, Gary Player, reach his dream to help children in need.

GPI events are held all over the world and the funds goes to benefit those in need as well.

Former Proteas cricket captain Shaun Pollock was one of the many sports stars who participated this year, and he summed up the weekend of #GolfAndGiving as one of the most memorable in the many Gary Player Invitational tournaments he has played in.

“It was organized and run in a great way, in a great atmosphere and for a great cause. You help to raise money and that means you get to change the lives of children,” he said.

Final Scores from the Gary Player Invitational:

188 Adrian Moors, Brian McFadden, Zander Lombard, Mark Ilsley

185 Owen Nkumane, Jean-Paul Strydom, Gert Wouter Loots, Willem Loots

184 Evan Mervis, Stuart Morris, Matthew Booth, Philip Eriksson

183 Bernard Pieters, Odwa Ndungane, Rudi Van Schoor, Louis De Jager

181 Alex Maditse, Thabo Mosololi, Toto Thimba, Butch James

180 Quintin Pitt, Alex Haindl, Patrick Lambie, Jacques Greyvenstein

179 Morne Marais, Stephan Burger, Keenan Davidse, Mark Williams

179Oliver Bekker, Paul Marks, Jimmy Tau, Brendan Janse van Rensburg

177 Gary Player, Darryl Egdes, Bryan Habana, Stuart Mckenzie

175 Jake Roos, Pierre Bleeker, Akona Ndungane, Craig Knott

175 Bernie Lane, Stanton Fredericks, Kim Williams, Connie Arjoona