Month: November 2024

GEORGE, Western Cape – South African rugby legend Victor Matfield believes golf is perhaps the country’s only other sport that consistently matches the Springboks in terms of success on the international stage and depth in talent, while fellow Bok Akona Ndungane is equally impressed with the country’s young golf stars.
 
Matfield and Ndungane, both passionate golfers, are no stranger to the Sunshine Tour’s brightest young stars as they regularly play in the pro-ams on the Tour. This week they’re competing in the Vodacom Origins of Golf Final at the Oubaai Golf Estate, and both are impressed with the talent they’re seeing on the Tour.
 
“I think the two sports in South Africa that stand out in terms of making a big international impact are rugby and golf. If you think of the golfers this country has produced, it’s unbelievable. And we can’t wait for the new generation to come through,” said Matfield.
 
While the Springboks have claimed a record fourth Rugby World Cup title, the country’s professional golfers can boast a collective 22 Major Championship victories which places South Africa fourth on the all-time list of Major wins.
 
Matfield said he sees the Sunshine Tour’s ability to create a global pathway for its players to progress to the highest level as being similar to the country’s strong rugby’s structures.
 
“When Rassie (Erasmus) started allowing the players to go overseas, we were all worried about the Currie Cup and the Vodacom United Rugby Championship. But it actually turned out well for us because we have so much talent here. I think it’s the same with golf. We have so much talent in this country, and tournaments like this Vodacom Origins of Golf series are so important in terms of giving these young players opportunities. The more opportunities they get here, the quicker they’ll get to that stage where they can compete at a higher level. I can’t wait to see these young stars here break onto the DP World Tour and PGA Tour, and ultimately start winning Majors.”
 
It’s a sentiment shared by Ndungane.
 
“It’s incredible to see the golf talent coming through. I had the privilege of speaking to the Sunshine Tour Commissioner, Thomas Abt, this week. The motto of the Sunshine Tour is Greatness Begins Here, and the beauty of that is that these young golfers have role models that they can look up to in the great South African golfers that came before them. Last weekend, young Sunshine Tour star Robin Williams played 36 holes with Gary Player. Imagine what that kind of time with a legend does for Robin.”
 
Looking ahead to this weekend’s Springbok Test against England, both Matfield and Ndungane have backed the Boks.
 
“The Springboks are just unbelievable at the moment. I don’t think they had their best game against Scotland last weekend, but they still beat one of the best Scotland teams by 17 points and without fielding their best team. That shows the class of the team at the moment. I think this weekend we’ll see a Springbok team that’s up for it, and I think England’s in trouble,” said Matfield.
 
“They’ll be coming up against a wounded England team which is hurting. It’s going to be a tough game, but I think the Springboks have enough in the tank to pull it off,” added Ndungane. – Michael Vlismas
 

SUN CITY, North West – The Gary and Vivienne Player Invitational celebrated another memorable edition of golf, charity and friendship as over R2.5 million was raised for the Blair Atholl Pre-Primary School upon conclusion of the tournament at the Gary Player Country Club on Sunday.

Even more is still expected to be raised through various auction items as South Africa’s sports stars and celebrities, the Sunshine Tour’s professional golfers, and business leaders all came together to help ensure a sustainable future for the school for underprivileged children which was founded by Gary and Vivienne Player.

“At my age, the only word I have is gratitude,” said Player.

“The people we have had here, and how they have opened their hearts for our Blair Atholl Pre-Primary School, is just incredible. Vivienne loved that school so much and it was her last words to me that we do our best to keep supporting its future.

“There are so many people in South Africa who need hope for a better future. This weekend, our family in golf came together to ensure that the children of our Blair Atholl school do indeed have a brighter future they can look forward to.”

The two-day tournament was decided over 31 holes after a heavy thunderstorm on Sunday, with the team of Sunshine Tour professional Martin Rohwer, former Bafana Bafana star Mark Williams and the father-and-son duo of Darryl and Daniel Egdes declared the 2024 champions on 160 points.

“I’m extremely proud of our team,” said Rohwer. “It was my debut in this tournament and it was amazing. We had a lot of fun. It’s great for us as Sunshine Tour professionals to be part of this and enjoy these two days while supporting such a great cause.”

Williams was delighted to accept his unique baobab trophy as a champion. “I always thought our team had the potential to win. Playing with Darryl and his son Daniel was brilliant, and Martin brought the professionalism for us. It was a great team effort.”

“Martin was a proper professional to all of us. He helped us every step of the way and we just had a very good time out there,” added Darryl Egdes.

“It was just a privilege to spend a weekend playing with this group. We had a lot of laughs out there. It was fantastic to be here and support Mr Player,” said Daniel Egdes. – Michael Vlismas

Team Winners: Gary Player (centre) congratulates (from left to right) Daniel Egdes, Darryl Egdes, Mark Williams and Martin Rohwer on their overall team victory in the 2024 Gary and Vivienne Player Invitational at Sun City on Sunday. Credit: Gary and Vivienne Player Invitational.

SUN CITY, North West – When Gary Player said “my legacy is about far more than my golf career” at this weekend’s Gary and Vivienne Player Invitational, the words of South Africa’s greatest sportsman resonated right to the heart of another great in Francois Pienaar, who saw the power of sport in his own life when he was part of a rugby game that united an entire nation.
 
The captain of the iconic 1995 Rugby World Cup-winning Springboks has joined other sports stars, the next generation of South African professional golfers from the Sunshine Tour, celebrities and business leaders in this pro-am tournament at the Gary Player Country Club to support Gary Player’s fundraising drive for underprivileged children at the Blair Atholl Pre-Primary School he and his wife founded.
 
Pienaar said he is humbled to be a part of this initiative and to support a great South African who has shown his fellow sportsmen and women what the ultimate goal of their talent should be.
 
“As sportsmen we’re blessed to represent our country on the international stage and to see the power of sport. But this weekend you also see the love Mr Player has for giving back, and the love Vivienne had for giving back. The school they founded is remarkable. And that is what you want to see with greats like Mr Player. Yes, you do well in your sport, but what do you do outside of your sport? Mr Player has promoted South Africa internationally, and he’s done immense work for education and the underprivileged. I’m humbled to play in his tournament, and I look forward to seeing him again when he turns 90,” Pienaar said at the Gary Player Country Club on Saturday after day one of this event.
 
The first round of this 36-hole pro-am saw the team of Sunshine Tour professional Malcolm Mitchell, former Springbok Pat Lambie and businessmen Lelo Rantloane and Liran Assness lead the field on 95 points. Player’s own team including rising Sunshine Tour star Robin Williams and businessmen Samuel Simpson and Alex Maditsi are currently second on 93 points.
 
But this weekend is focused on those things far bigger than the game.
 
Speaking at the official welcome function on Friday, Player expressed his love and appreciation for a gathering of what he said was a family in golf and which includes overwhelming support from the Sunshine Tour professionals he’s inspired as well as rugby stars such as Pienaar, Naas Botha, Steven Kitshoff, Butch James, Adriaan Strauss, Owen Nkumane, Odwa and Akona Ndungane, Pat Lambie, Robbi Kempson, Schalk Brits and Siviwe Soyizwapi. It has also drawn great from the world of football such as Kenny Dalglish, Shaun Bartlett, Jimmy Tau, Stanton Fredericks, Mark Williams, Aaron Mokoena and Brian Baloyi, as well as cricket legends Paul Adams and Herschelle Gibbs, celebrities  Rolene Strauss, Felicity Shiba, Maps Maponyane, Kgomotso Ndungane and David Kau, and boxing star Brian Mitchell.
 
“If I could do one thing, it would be to bottle all of the love we have here this weekend and send it to every corner of the world. When it comes to children in need, we cannot do everything. But all any of us here are trying to do is a little something to help. We have a debt incurred in life to help people, and golf is the greatest catalyst for raising funds for the needy,” said Player.
 
“South Africa is blessed with so many great sportsmen and women who can do so much good for our country.”
 
Nobody appreciates this more than Player, who continues to use golf to help change his country. And nobody understands this more than Pienaar, who used rugby to help change his country.
 
“Mr Player has been just incredible. When he played golf, we all watched him. When I was growing up, he was one of those South Africans you saw performing on the international stage. He was one of the pioneers of doing some incredible things in international sport. We all felt that pride.” – Michael Vlismas

The Sunshine Ladies Tour will celebrate its 12^th season as Africa’s premier women’s professional golf circuit with another strong schedule of local and international tournaments, increased prize money, and a reward for the champions to chase a R1 million payday.
 
In announcing its 2025 schedule on Wednesday, the Sunshine Ladies Tour unveiled a season of eight tournaments to be played from February to April.
 
The season will once again be anchored by the two co-sanctioned events with the Ladies European Tour (LET) – the Joburg Ladies Open at Modderfontein Golf Club and the Investec South African Women’s Open at Erinvale Golf Estate.
 
There will be increased prize money at two of the tournaments on the schedule, namely the Investec South African Women’s Open and the Standard Bank Ladies Open hosted by City of Cape Town.
 
There is also a new tournament on the schedule, the R1 million Platinum Ladies Open to be played at the Blair Atholl Golf and Equestrian Estate.
 
Apart from the overall crown of Investec Order of Merit champion, the winners of each of the tournaments as well as the Order of Merit champion will also qualify to play in the Sunshine Tour’s Waterfall City Tournament of Champions powered by Attacq, where they will compete with the men’s professionals for a first prize of R1 million at Royal Johannesburg Golf Club’s East Championship Course.
 
“We’re very excited about the 2025 schedule, which reflects the growth of women’s golf in our country. Our focus is to keep building the pathways that help our leading professionals grow their careers and which enables them to take their games onto the international stage. This coming season – with the valuable support of our sponsors and partners who share our vision – will be another major step towards achieving this goal,” said Thomas Abt, Commissioner of the Sunshine Tour and speaking on behalf of the Sunshine Ladies Tour.
 
The past season reflected how the growing opportunities in the local game are creating greater player depth here. On the final Investec Order of Merit, half of the top 10 were South African professionals, while the season also saw a breakthrough debut victory for Bloemfontein’s Gabrielle Venter.
 
The 2025 season will also build significantly on the already strong foundation between the Sunshine Ladies Tour and Sunshine Tour and the drive to create equal opportunities in the South African game.
 
This year seven professionals from the Sunshine Ladies Tour have competed in the Sunshine Tour’s Vodacom Origins of Golf series, playing alongside the men for the same prize money as well as a financial incentive for the best performing Sunshine Ladies Tour professional on the series, and an exemption to play in the Joburg Ladies Open as well as exemptions to compete in three tournaments on the Ladies European Tour’s Access Series. The Access Series is the LET’s official development tour based in Europe. The top six on the Order of Merit there at the end of their season secure their playing privileges on the LET.

2025 Sunshine Ladies Tour Schedule

14-16 February: R2.5 million NTT DATA Ladies Pro-Am – Fancourt

20-22 February: R1 million Standard Bank Ladies Open hosted by City of Cape Town – Durbanville Golf Club

26-28 February: R1 million Jabra Ladies Classic – Westlake Golf Club

5-7 March: R1.3 million SuperSport Ladies Challenge – Gary Player Country Club, Sun City

19-21 March: R1 million Platinum Ladies Open – Blair Atholl Golf & Equestrian Estate

27-29 March: R1.2 million Absa Ladies Invitational – Royal Johannesburg Golf Club

3-6 April: €300 000 *Joburg Ladies Open – Modderfontein Golf Club

10-13 April: €340 000 *Investec South African Women’s Open – Erinvale Golf Estate

*Co-sanctioned with the Ladies European Tour (LET)

The Sunshine Tour has announced a strong second half of its 2024/25 tournament schedule that will feature an exciting new Playoffs series for the top performing professionals as part of a thrilling close to the season.

The second half of the schedule will also include two DP World Tour co-sanctioned tournaments, four European Challenge Tour co-sanctioned tournaments, a new tournament, global incentives for the leading professionals, and strong Sunshine Tour partner support from Jonsson Workwear, Airlink, Fitch&Leedes, Enterprise Rent-a-Car, Spier, Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa, Provantage, the Gauteng Provincial Government and Momentum.

The year will start with the R2 million Mediclinic Invitational from 16-19 January at the Heron Banks Golf Estate.

This will be followed by the four European Challenge Tour co-sanctioned tournaments that will include the SDC Open at Zebula Golf Estate & Spa, the MyGolfLife Open hosted by Pecanwood, the Cell C Open in association with Honor at Royal Cape Golf Club, and the NTT DATA Pro-Am at Fancourt which will be played as a consecutive international series in January and February 2025.

In mid-February the Sunshine Tour welcomes a new tournament to its schedule, the R2 million Hyundai Open powered by the Palisade to be played at the Royal Johannesburg East Course.

Thereafter the DP World Tour co-sanctioned Investec South African Open and Joburg Open will both anchor another strong season of opportunity for Sunshine Tour professionals. The Investec South African Open will be played at the iconic Durban Country Club from 27 February to 2 March, while the Joburg Open returns to Houghton Golf Club from 6-9 March.

The new Sunshine Tour Playoffs series will end the season in the last two weeks of March 2025.

The Playoffs will include the R2.5 million Serengeti Invitational which will reward the top 72 professionals on the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit delivered by The Courier Guy with a place in this exclusive field at Serengeti Estate from 20-23 March. And then the top 50 players from this tournament will qualify to compete in the season-ending R3 million Tour Championship.

The Sunshine Tour has also confirmed that the top three professionals on the final Order of Merit delivered by The Courier Guy will all receive DP World Tour cards for the following season. The first-place finisher will also receive exemptions into the Nedbank Golf Challenge as well as two Majors – The Open Championship and US PGA Championship – and a R500 000 cash bonus.

Second place will earn a R200 000 cash bonus, while the third-place finisher will earn a R100 000 bonus.

The leading golfer on the Fortress Rookie of the Year standings at the end of the season will also be rewarded with a R200 000 cash bonus.

All of the tournaments will feature coverage on SuperSport.

SUNSHINE TOUR 2024/25 SCHEDULE

The Joburg Open and Joburg Ladies Open will bring world-class men and women’s professional golf to the City of Johannesburg’s fairways, with these two premier tournaments showcasing international fields and providing global opportunities for the local game.
 
The Joburg Open will take up a new position on the worldwide golf calendar when this prestigious co-sanctioned event becomes part of the DP World Tour’s International Swing in 2025.
 
The sporting pride of Johannesburg has moved from its traditional November date to a new time slot of 6-9 March, 2025, with the €1 million tournament once again returning to Houghton Golf Club. The new date is because of a change in the global golf calendar.
 
The Joburg Open will now have an even stronger presence on the Sunshine Tour. It will be the last co-sanctioned tournament of the season.
 
The Joburg Ladies Open will complement the City of Johannesburg’s strong golf portfolio when this premier Sunshine Ladies Tour and Ladies European Tour co-sanctioned event returns to Modderfontein Golf Club from 3-6 April 2025, with a total purse of €300 000.
 
“The Joburg Open and Joburg Ladies Open are mega sporting events that have proved to be consistent over the years in effecting tourism multipliers for economic growth and stimulus. Furthermore, we view them as key strategic instruments to unlock the sports tourism niche development area identified in the city’s tourism strategy. Evidently, the city values the significance of these tournaments which are able to take the wonders of our city to an international audience with our partners at the Sunshine Tour, the Sunshine Ladies Tour, the DP World Tour and the Ladies European Tour,” said Cllr Dada Morero, the Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg.
 
“We are delighted to be returning to Houghton Golf Club and Modderfontein Golf Club, which are true jewels as two of the city’s leading golf courses. To also form part of the DP World Tour’s International Swing and provide more world-class opportunities for our South African professionals through its positioning so close to the end of the Sunshine Tour’s season, is going to combine for a memorable 17^th edition of the Joburg Open.”
 
Thomas Abt, Commissioner of the Sunshine Tour, said: “We are very excited about the new positioning of the Joburg Open on our international calendar. The Joburg Open has always been such a key tournament in terms of the global pathway it creates for our Sunshine Tour members, and with South Africans having won 10 of the last 16 editions of this prestigious tournament, it really represents a proud part of our golf history. We are equally excited to have the Joburg Ladies Open complement this and provide the same level of opportunity for our leading South African women professionals.”
 
Ben Cowen, the DP World Tour’s Chief Tournament & Operations Officer, said: “We are proud to have the Joburg Open join our International Swing and continue its status as an important event on our international calendar and our 2025 Race to Dubai. The Joburg Open has a wonderful history of creating opportunities while at the same time helping to transform the South African game, and we are proud to be able to support this.”

SUN CITY, North West – At the end of a stunningly composed week, Jonathan Broomhead showed his first bit of emotion when he hugged his caddie and girlfriend after claiming the third victory of his Sunshine Tour career and his second this season in the Blue Label Challenge at the Gary Player Country Club on Saturday.
 
Broomhead completed a wire-to-wire triumph and won by four points on a total of 45 points overall as part of the modified stableford scoring system used for this tournament.
 
“The last few months have just been unreal,” said the 23-year-old Broomhead. “From the Tour Championship (last season)  it kind of kicked off from there, and having my girlfriend Kaylan on the bag – I wouldn’t want anyone else.”
 
It has indeed been an incredible start to his professional career. After winning the Tour Championship delivered by The Courier Guy as a Sunshine Tour rookie last season, Broomhead added the Vodacom Origins of Golf at the Wild Coast Sun last month, and then this triumph at Sun City.
 
And this week he played with a composure that suggested he’s been out here for years.
 
The Durban professional opened with 19 points at the Gary Player Country Club in the first round, added a further 12 points at the Lost City Golf Course in the second round, and then signed off at the Gary Player Country Club with seven points in round three and seven points in Saturday’s final round.
 
Even when South Africa’s Ricky Hendler, who finished second on 41 points, pushed him with a fast start of three consecutive birdies to immediately narrow his overnight lead, Broomhead remained calm.
 
“I played nicely the whole day. I kept my head strong and did what I needed to do. Ricky (Hendler) came at us hot but we kept our heads,” said Broomhead.
 
Broomhead’s victory moved him into second place behind Daniel van Tonder on the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit delivered by The Courier Guy.

SUN CITY, North West – Jonathan Broomhead worked hard to maintain his place at the top of the leaderboard in a tricky third round of the Blue Label Challenge at the Gary Player Country Club on Friday.
 
After a haul of 19 and 12 points in the first two rounds of this tournament, which uses a modified stableford scoring system, Broomhead had to grind his way to an additional seven points in the third round.
 
But it was still enough to see him retain a lead he’s held since day one as he ended the round on 38 points overall.
 
His nearest challengers are England’s Jack Hawksby and South Africa’s Ricky Hendler on 33 points. Both Hawksby and Hendler added 10 points on Friday.
 
Pieter Moolman outscored the field with his 12 points on Friday, which lifted him into a share of fourth place on 26 points alongside Gerhard Pepler.
 
Broomhead had carried an eight-point lead from the first round, but the field quickly closed that gap on Friday.
 
The Durban professional was only one point clear at a stage during his round. However he finished strong with three birdies in his final four holes to give himself some breathing room again.
 
The 23-year-old is now one round away from claiming his second victory on the Sunshine Tour this season after winning the Vodacom Origins of Golf Wild Coast Sun a few weeks ago.
 
And in a strong show of the young talent currently on the Sunshine Tour, if Broomhead were to go on and win on Saturday he would become the third player 23 years old or younger to have won in the last four tournaments on Tour.
 
The 21-year-old Yurav Premlall made his breakthrough with a maiden Sunshine Tour victory in the Vodacom Origins of Golf Sishen in September.
 
Broomhead then added his win at the Wild Coast in October, and 23-year-old Robin Williams followed this by successfully defending his Fortress Invitational title.

Thriston Lawrence, currently South Africa’s highest ranked golfer on the Official World Golf Ranking, has confirmed his participation in the Nedbank Golf Challenge at Sun City from December 5-8, 2024, with tickets and exciting luxury public hospitality options available to buy here…, or to book at [email protected].
 
The world number 50 makes his third appearance in the Nedbank Golf Challenge. He finished tied 13^th on his debut in 2022, and tied 24^th last year.
 
Lawrence joins a stellar field including defending champion and six-time PGA TOUR winner Max Homa, PGA TOUR champions Will Zalatoris and Corey Conners, DP World Tour stars Nicolai and Rasmus Højgaard, victorious European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald, and fellow Sunshine Tour stars Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Erik van Rooyen.
 
Lawrence will head to Sun City in great form this year and ready to make a strong claim to become the first South African winner of the Nedbank Golf Challenge since Branden Grace in 2017.
 
The four-time winner on the DP World Tour is in the midst of one of his most successful seasons as a professional with nine top-10s, including five runner-up finishes, on tour this year. He is currently second on the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai Rankings.
 
As he challenges for glory in ‘Africa’s Major’, Lawrence also achieved his highest finish in the Majors this year of fourth in The Open.
 
“My form has been good this year. To reach the top 50 in the world has been a goal of mine for the past three years, and I feel like things are trending in the right direction. A place in the Nedbank Golf Challenge is always a good indication of this, and especially this year with the field as strong as it is. This tournament is very special to me and I’m really looking forward to playing in front of our home fans and joining my fellow South Africans in hopefully claiming a home victory,” said Lawrence.
 
This year’s Nedbank Golf Challenge is also offering an unsurpassed hospitality experience for fans, including the new Hospitali-TEE Lounge and the premium Hospitali-TEE on 18^th.
 
The new luxury public Hospitali-TEE Lounge is aimed at elevating the normal day visitor experience with a brand new hospitality lounge located close to the Public Village and offering an air-conditioned facility with indoor and outdoor seating, a live feed of the golf, and catering throughout the day. The package fee will include an official entrance ticket to the Nedbank Golf Challenge, accreditation for exclusive access to the Hospitali-TEE Lounge, a premium buffet including breakfast, lunch and afternoon snacks, a fully stocked open bar, an all-day coffee station, a live television feed of the golf, daily live entertainment, a daily player autograph opportunity, a sunscreen station, daily prizes and competitions, and official Nedbank Golf Challenge merchandise. To book click here…
 
The Hospitali-TEE on 18^th offers prime Nedbank Golf Challenge viewing in an air-conditioned luxury suite overlooking the 18^th green with under cover terrace. Fans will be able to enjoy an upmarket food experience, a premium tournament beverage bar, and live TV feed of the Nedbank Golf Challenge. It’s premier location also allows fans to enjoy the nearby ‘Africa’s Mini Major’ putt-putt tournament, visit the Merchandising Marquee or follow a favourite golfer around the course. The package fee will include an official entrance ticket to the Nedbank Golf Challenge, accreditation to enter ‘The Hospitali-TEE on 18^th’, a premium buffet offering breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snacks within the facility, a fully-stocked premium open bar, an all-day coffee station, live TV feed of daily play, daily player autograph opportunity, sunscreen station, a limited edition VIP packaged magnum wine (1.5l), an official branded Nedbank Golf Challenge golf shirt and cap, and a Buffalo Trace Bourbon whiskey tasting. There is also the opportunity to purchase additional package add-ons that include access to the official Welcome Dinner and the Beach Party, as well as golf at the Lost City Golf Course. To book please email [email protected]