AA8C96D9F: January 2014

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Player says he kissed Mandela's feet when they met

By GERALD IMRAY (AP Sports Writer)December 6, 2013 7:54 AMAP - Sports

SUN CITY, South Africa (AP) -- The first time he met Nelson Mandela, Gary Player got on his knees and kissed the former political prisoner's feet.

Remembering his ''very tearful'' first encounter with Mandela, the nine-time major winner paused Friday to compose himself and hold back more tears.

Mandela, the beloved former South African president and Nobel laureate, died Thursday at 95.

Renowned as a fierce competitor on the golf course, Player was invited to meet Mandela at his office in Johannesburg after the anti-apartheid leader's release after 27 years in prison.

But he didn't expect to do what he did, Player said.

''I knelt down and I kissed his feet and I said, 'I have never kissed anybody's feet in my life,' and I said, 'I have so much admiration for you.' I said to him, 'It is remarkable, how can you not have revenge?'''

Mandela's reply, according to Player, was: ''You have got to start a new life and forgive and go ahead.''

Player, speaking at the Nedbank Golf Challenge at Sun City, said Mandela's ability to inspire with compassion left him amazed then - and still does.

''It was very tearful for me, because when you think of a man that has gone to jail for all those years for doing the right thing, not the wrong thing, it is hard to comprehend that a man can come out and be like that,'' Player said. ''He was an exceptional man.''

From that first meeting, Player and Mandela would cross paths regularly as the golfer, one of South Africa's greatest sportsmen, worked with the president on charity projects.

Once, Player remembered with a big smile, Mandela landed at a charity tournament in a helicopter to lend support.

''I had to meet him when the helicopter arrived and open the door. Now I had been around him all these years raising money for young black children and I opened the door, and he says 'Good morning Gary, do you remember me?''' Player recalled, imitating Mandela's unique rasping voice. ''Just wonderful.''

Although Player wasn't sure if he ever saw Mandela swing a golf club, he knew that the anti-apartheid leader ''realized the value of sport'' and even followed Player's career overseas while he was imprisoned by South Africa's former racist regime.

''He said to me, 'When I was in jail, I used to watch you playing.' He was very complimentary,'' Player said.

Garcia takes lead at somber Sun City

By GERALD IMRAY (AP Sports Writer)December 6, 2013 9:12 AMAP - Sports

SUN CITY, South Africa (AP) -- With the skies over Sun City fittingly gray, Gary Player cried on a tee box and Ernie Els shared some of his memories of Nelson Mandela.

''It is going to be a tough day for the whole country,'' Els said.

A somber mood hung over South Africa's first major sporting event since Mandela's death as Sergio Garcia, wearing a black ribbon like the rest of the 30-man field, shot a 6-under 66 to lead after the weather-delayed first round of the Nedbank Golf Challenge on Friday.

In the early morning, golfers stood, some with caps removed, for a moment's silence before the first round restarted after being halted because of lightning on Thursday. Flags dropped to half-staff around the Gary Player Country Club.

A hooter sounded to start the brief moment of reflection on the life of the beloved anti-apartheid leader, who died late Thursday at 95.

Els, one of South Africa's first sporting heroes under Mandela's presidency, walked out of the players' lounge a little after 6:30 a.m. to talk of the times he spent with the former president. Els said that since about 1996 and well into his old age, Mandela used to call the golfer every time he won a tournament.

''They were special times and the little time we had together was very special. He was just the most amazing person I have ever met,'' Els said.

He also recalled Mandela partially ignoring him on a long-haul flight because the statesman instead wanted to talk to and play with Els' young daughter.

''We were sitting up front and then Mr. Mandela came onto the plane last,'' Els said. ''He was sitting in the front seat and he saw me and my daughter sitting next to me and all of a sudden he didn't really want to see me anymore, he wanted to talk to my daughter. He got Samantha to go up there and she sat on his lap and he spoke to her like she was his grandchild.''

Player, a South African golfer whose career so often clashed with the country's years of apartheid, said he and three friends had prayed and then cried together before playing.

''But it's also a day of celebration because he'd want us to celebrate,'' Player said. ''And we've got to celebrate for what he actually gave this country.''

Golf-Dominant Donaldson not put off by freak penalty

December 6, 2013 10:06 AM

SUN CITY, South Africa, Dec 6 (Reuters) - A freak penalty stroke did little to deter Welshman Jamie Donaldson as he posted a second-round 66 at the Nedbank Golf Challenge on Friday to top the leaderboard with an 11-under-par total of 133.

A storming outward 31, including five birdies, gave Donaldson a three-stroke halfway lead at the Gary Player Country Club on a sombre day following the death of former South Africa president Nelson Mandela.

Friday's early start was preceded by a minute's silence in honour of the 95-year-old statesman as the elite 30-man field resumed their weather-interrupted first rounds from Thursday.

Sergio Garcia finished as first-round leader after a blistering morning start as he posted a 66 but Donaldson was already out on the course again, picking up three birdies in his first four holes.

On the par-five 10th, he carded a bogey six after picking up an unusual penalty.

"It was mad, I just pushed my tee shot a little bit into the green-side trap and tried to move it about 100 yards down the fairway but it clipped the lip and as the ball sort of came back I hit it again with my shaft, over my shoulder, back into the bunker," the Welshman told reporters.

The referee's ruling was a one-shot penalty but Donaldson recovered to sink two more birdies to finish six-under for the round.

His 66 was only bettered by American Ryan Moore, who made seven birdies in a second-round 65 that took him eight-under and into joint second place with Sweden's Henrik Stenson.

Birdies on the last hole of the day for both defending champion Martin Kaymer of Germany and Dane Thomas Bjorn took them to seven under par. (Reporting by Mark Gleeson; Editing by Ed Osmond)

Dominant Donaldson not put off by freak penalty

December 6, 2013 10:35 AM

Sergio Garcia of Spain hits from the second tee during the third round of the BMW Championship golf tournament …

SUN CITY, South Africa (Reuters) - A freak penalty stroke did little to deter Welshman Jamie Donaldson as he posted a second-round 66 at the Nedbank Golf Challenge on Friday to top the leaderboard with an 11-under-par total of 133.

A storming outward 31, including five birdies, gave Donaldson a three-stroke halfway lead at the Gary Player Country Club on a somber day following the death of former South Africa president Nelson Mandela.

Friday's early start was preceded by a minute's silence in honor of the 95-year-old statesman as the elite 30-man field resumed their weather-interrupted first rounds from Thursday.

Sergio Garcia finished as first-round leader after a blistering morning start as he posted a 66 but Donaldson was already out on the course again, picking up three birdies in his first four holes.

On the par-five 10th, he carded a bogey six after picking up an unusual penalty.

The referee's ruling was a one-shot penalty but Donaldson recovered to sink two more birdies to finish six-under for the round.

His 66 was only bettered by American Ryan Moore, who made seven birdies in a second-round 65 that took him eight-under and into joint second place with Sweden's Henrik Stenson.

Birdies on the last hole of the day for both defending champion Martin Kaymer of Germany and Dane Thomas Bjorn took them to seven under par.

(Reporting by Mark Gleeson; Editing by Ed Osmond)

Lewis leads by two in Dubai Ladies Masters

By Josh CharlesDecember 6, 2013 10:34 AM

Stacy Lewis watches her drive on the 3rd hole during the final round of the CME Group Titleholders at Tiburon Golf club on November 24, 2013 in Naples, Florida (AFP Photo/Sam Greenwood)

Dubai (AFP) - Stacy Lewis did not have the best of days on the golf course Friday, but still managed to double her lead to two shots on the top of the 500,000 euros Dubai Ladies Masters leaderboard.

After a glorious 65 in Thursday’s second round of the season-ending championship of the Ladies European Tour, the American world number three could only manage a two-under par 70 Friday, but a measured birdie on the par-5 closing hole of the Majlis course helped her lead by two shots over fellow LPGA Tour player Pornanong Phatlum of Thailand.

Phatlum shot a three-under par 69, which included a couple of birdie putts from outside 25 feet, to finish at nine-under par 207.

Spain’s Carlota Ciganda, winner of the Ladies European Tour Order of Merit last year, made two bogeys on her back nine to finish with a 73, which tied her for the third place at six-under par 210 alongside Italy’s Diane Luna (69) and Scotland’s Vikki Laing (69).

Defending champion Feng Shanshan of China moved into the top-10 with a one-under par 71 round, but her title defence was surely over as she fell nine shots behind the leader at two-under par 214.

In the race for the Rookie of the Year honours, 17-year-old Charley Hull shot a one-over par 73 to enjoy a two-shot advantage over compatriot Holly Clyburn (70), who improved to tied 21 st place at 217.

Lewis, the highest ranked player in the tournament, said: “It was one of those rounds that could have gone either way. But I am glad in the end it took me in the right direction.

“I did not hit the ball as well as yesterday. I hit 16 greens in regulation, but did not hit it close enough. Most of them were around 20 feet and I did not make those putts. That really was the main difference.

Phatlum, winner of the Ladies Indian Open twice and champion once on the LPGA Tour, said she did not want to think of any result right now.

“I enjoyed the round today. Played it shot-by-shot and scored a 69. Tomorrow, I am excited to play with Lewis, who is the world number three and playing great golf.

"But I am only going to say that I will try my best and not put too much pressure on myself,” said the young Thai, who has now improved to number 47 in the world.

There was a hole-in-one in the tournament, and South African Connie Chen walked away with a shining new Mercedes E400 Convertible after holing out her 6-iron tee shot on the 160-yard par-3 15th hole.