IT is not often that us hacks (in journalistic terms, that is) get to play in an event that includes the likes of a double US Open champion, a nine-time Major winner and a current US Masters champion.

Throw in a couple of South African sporting greats and a Rugby World Cup-winning coach, a supermodel and some of the world’s leading businessmen, and we are totally out of our depth.

The call came on Wednesday and, of course, I first had to check my diary. Yeah, right. An invite to play in the Gary Player Invitational (GPI), presented by Coca-Cola, is not something you turn down.

The tournament gets under way tomorrow as 32 world-renowned participants take each other on in eight fourballs in the name of charity. The fourballs consist of a senior professional, a professional, a celebrity and a businessman.

The teams compete over 36 holes in a fourball alliance, with two scores to count, while the two professionals in each group will also compete in a separate betterball medal competition for first prize of R250000.

It is not about the prize-money for Angel Cabrera, Retief Goosen and company this weekend. It is about making money for underprivileged children while having a bit of fun on the side. Make no mistake, there will be a certain amount of competition between the players, professionals or not. For the invited hacks like myself, it is about hobnobbing at Fancourt with the rich and shameless, an array of the best-looking women in golf and a handful of the most talented male golfers in the world.

Gary Player, Sandra Gal and Henrietta Zuel (go on, Google them), Barry Richards, Kevin Curren, Ines Sastre, Sir Clive Woodward, Shaun Bartlett, Vincent Tshabalala, Goosen and Cabrera will all be there. You’ve got to love it!

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THERE was good news for the Fish River Sun this week when the golf course was selected to host the Africa Open qualifying rounds in January.

The tournament proper, which is co-sanctioned by the European Tour for the first time next year, will be played at East London Golf Club from January 7 to 10.

Those hoping to qualify for the main event will do battle on Wednesday, January 5, around one of the best layouts in the country. This will be preceded by a practice round on the Tuesday.

The folk at the Fish will have been disappointed that the event was moved to East London Golf Club this year but they are no doubt thrilled to be hosting the qualifying process. The inaugural Africa Open was successfully staged at the Gary Player-designed Fish River Country Club last year.

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THE Hill’s Kyle Stevens produced a five-under par total to clinch the Midlands Open at Cradock Golf Club at the weekend.

Stevens put together rounds of 70 and 71 on the par 73 layout to win the EP Order of Merit event by two strokes from Border’s Conrad Gordon-Grant on 143 (71, 72).

Pieter Rademeyer jnr was third on 145 (71 74). That aggregate was good enough to give him the Midlands Closed title.

The leading scores were:

141 – Kyle Stevens 70 71

143 – Conrad Gordon-Grant ( Border ) 71 72

145 – Pieter Rademeyer Jnr 71 74, Luke Jerling 73 72

147 – Mark Lloyd 76 71

149 – Cliffie Strutt 77 72

150 – David Konzani 74 76, Mzuyanda Zingela 72 78, Jaco Swanepoel 71 79

THIS column will now go into recess until January next year.