PANAPRESS
Panafrican News Agency
South Africa: Golfing legend Tshabalala dead at 75
Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) – South African golfing legend Vincent Tshabalala has died at his Johannesburg home after suffering from kidney failure. He was 75.
Tshabalala’s career was affected by the South Africa’s race laws. Nevertheless, won the South African Non-European Open in 1971, 1977 and 1983.
Much has been written about South Africa’s greatest golfer, Gary Player, who became a target for the global anti-Apartheid movement. It is well documented that when he competed at the 1974 Australian Open in Sydney, protesters ventured onto one of the putting greens in the middle of the night and wrote “Go Home, You Racist Pig” in white lime powder.
In a recent media interview, Tshabala said there is more to the tale. “After all, I was there, and I was also targeted by Australian racists who referred to me as smoke. I remember standing on the tee at a par three – 178 yards from the pin – and they were saying things like ‘the smoke won’t get it over the water’. I stepped back to recollect myself, and then I hit five iron at the flag, two feet from the hole. I turned around and said: ‘this smoke can play.'"
When he won the French Open in May, 1976, he drew inspiration from a well-worn newspaper clipping he carried in his pocket throughout the tournament. It told the story of Sally Little, who earlier that month, became the first South African female to win a Major when she triumphed at the Women’s International in South Carolina.
Later that year, he was selected for South Africa’s World Cup team but he refused to take part because of the country's race laws. However, there was a reprieve of sorts. Despite a series of injuries, he made a comeback in the over-50 ranks, finishing in the top twenty on the European Seniors Tour Order of Merit four times in the 1990s, despite not winning any tournaments.
He also played on the Southern Africa Tour after the racial restrictions were abolished in the early 1990s, but by then he was almost 50 and he didn't win any official money events. Nevertheless, he did win the Nelson Mandela Invitational in both 2004 and 2005.
-0- PANA CU/MA 5June2017
Tshabalala’s career was affected by the South Africa’s race laws. Nevertheless, won the South African Non-European Open in 1971, 1977 and 1983.
Much has been written about South Africa’s greatest golfer, Gary Player, who became a target for the global anti-Apartheid movement. It is well documented that when he competed at the 1974 Australian Open in Sydney, protesters ventured onto one of the putting greens in the middle of the night and wrote “Go Home, You Racist Pig” in white lime powder.
In a recent media interview, Tshabala said there is more to the tale. “After all, I was there, and I was also targeted by Australian racists who referred to me as smoke. I remember standing on the tee at a par three – 178 yards from the pin – and they were saying things like ‘the smoke won’t get it over the water’. I stepped back to recollect myself, and then I hit five iron at the flag, two feet from the hole. I turned around and said: ‘this smoke can play.'"
When he won the French Open in May, 1976, he drew inspiration from a well-worn newspaper clipping he carried in his pocket throughout the tournament. It told the story of Sally Little, who earlier that month, became the first South African female to win a Major when she triumphed at the Women’s International in South Carolina.
Later that year, he was selected for South Africa’s World Cup team but he refused to take part because of the country's race laws. However, there was a reprieve of sorts. Despite a series of injuries, he made a comeback in the over-50 ranks, finishing in the top twenty on the European Seniors Tour Order of Merit four times in the 1990s, despite not winning any tournaments.
He also played on the Southern Africa Tour after the racial restrictions were abolished in the early 1990s, but by then he was almost 50 and he didn't win any official money events. Nevertheless, he did win the Nelson Mandela Invitational in both 2004 and 2005.
-0- PANA CU/MA 5June2017
