Vodacom supports Sunshine Tour caddies with donation

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South Africa is one of the most prolific producers of world-class golfing talent in the world, and the Sunshine Tour has been integral to our nation’s success. The Tour has produced some of the most successful golfers on the PGA and DP World Tour both past and present, such as Gary Player, Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Louis Oosthuizen, Trevor Immelman, Charl Schwartzel, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Erik Van Rooyen, and Garrick Higgo.

The Sunshine Tour has partnered with various organisations, brands, and stakeholders to create a platform for golfers from the southern African region and abroad to display their talent and become successful golfers on the global stage. These partners include the DP World Tour, Golf RSA, the South African Golf Development Board, the South African Golf Association, and the PGA of South Africa, with all these organisations contributing to the Sunshine Tour becoming one of the premier golf tours in the world.

In addition, hosting tournaments in the southern African region and visiting a variety of regions, climates, and courses helps stimulate economic growth and activity by involving local communities in varying capacities. These Sunshine Tour events have become highly anticipated both for players and golf fans. Of these events, none are more anticipated than the Joburg Open, the Investec SA Open Championship, and the Alfred Dunhill Championship; all are Sunshine Tour and DP World Tour co-sanctioned events. These tournaments have seen some of the most well-known players in the world compete, including Ernie Els, Rory McIlroy, Lee Westwood, Louis Oosthuizen, and Henrik Stenson.

The Sunshine Tour’s mission statement is Greatness Begins Here. As it continues to grow, it provides a platform for more golfers to achieve their own greatness while asserting South Africa’s position as a vibrant and competitive golfing nation.

Vodacom has once again thrown its full support behind South African professional golf with the announcement of a significant donation to permanent Sunshine Tour caddies to help alleviate the economic pressures they have suffered during the coronavirus pandemic and specifically the hard lockdown of professional golf in 2020.

During the first Vodacom Origins of Golf tournament at De Zalze Golf Estate this August, Vodacom announced a R409Â 500.00 donation to the Sunshine Tour and specifically for the South African Caddie Association (SACA), which will be used to help support all professional caddies approved by the Tour.

The donation comes after Vodacom confirmed the return of the Vodacom Origins of Golf series to the Sunshine Tourâ€™s schedule in 2021 and 2022 after it had to be postponed last year due to the Lockdown Level 5 restrictions.

The five-tournament series teed off in August, with the final tournament set to be played in 2022 and with a total of R5 million in prize money on offer throughout the series.

â€œAs a result of the coronavirus pandemic we were unable to host the Vodacom Origins of Golf Series in 2020. We realise that this impacted heavily on the Sunshine Tour caddies across the country who rely on these tournaments to earn a living,â€ said William Mzimba, Vodacom Business Chief Officer.

â€œSince its inception in 2004, the Vodacom Origins of Golf series has been strongly aligned to the communities where the tournaments are played and supporting charities as well as golf development initiatives. It is for this reason that, in partnership with the Sunshine Tour and events rights holders FLOOID, we have made this donation to a sector of the golf industry that is critical to all of our enjoyment of this game.â€

Thomas Abt, Commissioner of the Sunshine Tour, said: â€œThe Sunshine Tour is blessed to have sponsors and partners of the calibre of Vodacom, a company that has always supported the Tour and the greater golf family in South Africa. This is an incredible contribution to our efforts to assist our caddies financially.â€

Photo: Shaun Roy/Sunshine Tour

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