Joburg Open helps drive SA’s global golf success

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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.

Oliver Bekker, South Africa’s latest DP World Tour star, has confirmed his place in this month’s Joburg Open and believes the tournament will help to open doors for even more South Africans to become household names in European golf within the next five years.

Bekker is back on local fairways following a successful debut season on the DP World Tour in which he had eight top-10s and a runner-up finish in the Catalunya Championship as he has climbed into 33^rd place on the DP World Tour Rankings. His focus is now on a strong run of Sunshine Tour and DP World Tour co-sanctioned tournaments in South Africa, beginning with the Joburg Open at Houghton Golf Club from November 24-27, 2022.

At various levels of South African professional golf the Joburg Open has provided a strong sense of opportunity for the country’s golfers and their global aspirations, while at the same time also helping to transform the South African golf landscape through its support of historically disadvantaged professionals competing in this event.

Thriston Lawrence claimed his maiden DP World Tour victory in the 2021 Joburg Open and went on to win a second title on the Omega European Masters this year as well as play in his first Major in the 150^thOpen in St Andrews. And Dylan Naidoo, who has played in the Joburg Open since he was an amateur and is a member of the Sunshine Tour’s Papwa Sewgolum Class for historically disadvantaged golfers, will return to the tournament this year as a true inspiration after breaking through with his maiden Sunshine Tour victory in the SunBet Challenge Sun Sibaya this year.

It all points to what Bekker believes is the foundation for a wave of new talent busy emerging from South Africa.

“I’ve always believed that with our DP World Tour co-sanctioned tournaments, and then the added Challenge Tour co-sanctioned tournaments, that we’re going to have a lot of South Africans making it onto the DP World Tour. We’re going to make an impact over there. We’ve got so much talent in this country and you just need the opportunity to get there, and for that door to open and to get that chance to get in there. I’m sure a lot of our players will stay on the DP World Tour for a very long time, and that we’ll also see a lot of South Africans coming through in the next five years that will be household names in Europe for a long time to come. It’s good to see the South African players making their presence felt on the DP World Tour. It’s exciting,” said Bekker.

Tickets for the Joburg Open are available at https://sunshinetour.com/.

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