MEDINAH, ILLINOIS – SEPTEMBER 23: Christiaan Bezuidenhout of South Africa and the International Team plays his shot from a bunker on the 18th green prior to the Presidents Cup 2026 at Medinah Country Club on September 23, 2026 in Medinah, Illinois. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
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The Presidents Cup tees off Thursday in Chicago at Medinah No. 3, but for Christiaan Bezuidenhout, it may be the second-biggest event on his calendar over the next month.
Bezuidenhout was a captain’s pick for the International Team based on his strong rankings in approach, putting and birdies made. But off the golf course, he plays an impactful role in charity.
Following the accidental consumption of rat poison as a child, Bezuidenhout developed a stutter. His condition played a role in his pursuit of golf as a kid, as he chose a more isolating endeavor than team sports. He found peace in golf.
“When I grew up in South Africa, I didn’t have any resources to rely on, so it was something that I like to share around the world with people, and hopefully I can be a role model one day of going through adversity, growing up to where I am now,” Bezuidenhout said.
That peace in golf transformed Bezuidenhout into a formidable player. Competitive golf, however, can be difficult to access. It was at this point that professional golfer Ernie Els took Bezuidenhout under his wing, assisting him in his development as a future professional.
“I still see him once a week when we are both at home, and we will go for a beer or go play a round of golf. He is no longer an idol; he is a friend,” Bezuidenhout said.
That generosity was not forgotten. Bezuidenhout now gives back through the Arthur M. Blank Center for Stuttering Education and Research, where he is a spokesperson.
“The Blank Center teaches you how to communicate without focusing on stuttering, shifting the focus from trying to speak fluently to embracing how I speak and encouraging me to do so confidently,” Bezuidenhout said on the Arthur M. Blank Center website.
Bezuidenhout will tee it up in Georgia on October 12 to help raise money through the Dream. Speak. Live. Blank Center for Stuttering Celebrity Golf Tournament. In previous years, the event has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars.
“I am four years into raising awareness around the world for stuttering, just to teach people more about what it is and to get people more comfortable with what it is and in day-to-day communication,” Bezuidenhout said.
The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation has a far-reaching impact on golf. The organization committed a $7.6 million grant to support 6,000 PGA Jr. League scholarships and expand access to affordable youth golf nationwide. The financial support will include 30 First Tee programs across the United States in partnership with the Professional Golf Association.
“My manager got a contact with Arthur Blank, and he knew that when I grew up that I didn’t have any resources, so it was a good collaboration,” Bezuidenhout said. “We have our first camp back in South Africa that will begin next month. We are going to have a camp back home to teach people about what it is and educate them about what it is.”
In addition to the First Tee, the foundation partnered with Tiger Woods’ TGR Foundation, providing a $20 million grant to assist with the opening of a TGR Learning Lab in Atlanta, Georgia. The TGR Learning Lab will provide youth access to programs focused on science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) educational enrichment, health and well-being, and career and college readiness.
“It’s truly an honor to partner with someone who believes so deeply in the power of education and community. Seeing the impact of TGR Foundation, from the Learning Labs to the hundreds of thousands of students empowered through its programs, is incredibly inspiring, and I look forward to seeing the impact the TGR Learning Lab Atlanta makes on our community,” Blank said in a press release.
Blank co-founded Home Depot in 1978 as a one-stop shop for the do-it-yourselfer. The first two stores opened in Atlanta in 1979. He stepped down in 2001 and, in 2022, bought the Atlanta Falcons football team. Blank has shown a consistent love for his city of Atlanta and sports, helping bring Major League Soccer to the area in 2017.
Blank is still the chairman of the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation and has made significant contributions to stuttering research and education, anti-poverty initiatives and health care. He has committed to giving away more than 50% of his wealth to charitable organizations through The Giving Pledge.
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