Papwa the Pariah: Golf in Apartheid's Shadow

As someone classified "non-white" under apartheid, Papwa Sewgolum was not permitted to compete in "white" tournaments. But then fate intervened and he was personally flown to Europe in a four-seater plane by a maverick benefactor, and promptly won the 1959 Dutch Open. Unable to ignore him any longer, the white golf establishment reluctantly allowed Papwa to compete in major whitesonly tournaments. He won the Natal Open twice, once beating the great Gary Player himself. He became a sporting icon. But he was soon banned from playing in tournaments with whites, forcefully moved from his home under the Group Areas Act and, unable to sustain his career, died penniless as an alcoholic. This book graphically brings to life Papwa's remarkable career, counterposing it to that of Gary Player, who went on to achieve fabulous fame and fortune. Papwa the Pariah captures both the richness of golf and the soul of a tortured country.