By Rick Horrow and Karla Swatek
September 6, 2013
Gary Player’s record on the golf course is second-to-none. The South African has 165 professional wins, including nine in major championships. But success runs deep in the Player family. Gary’s brother, Dr. Ian Player, is a world-renowned conservationist who is the subject of a recently released biography. The book, Into the River of Life, covers Ian’s exploits across the globe and his work to save endangered species.
Dr. Player is best known for spearheading the Operation Rhino campaign to save the white rhino from extinction. He also founded the Wilderness Leadership School, which spawned a global network of wilderness foundations committed to saving wildlife throughout the world. But for all he’s done to better the environment, Ian’s also had a tremendous impact on his younger, more famous brother’s life. Gary credits Ian for inspiring him to get fit and stay in shape, and Gary maintains a rigid workout schedule to this day.
