Category: Featured News

DURBAN (KwaZulu-Natal) – England’s Sam Bairstow and Sweden’s Fredrik From were simply delighted to be able to tee off their first rounds of the Investec South African Open, never mind share the clubhouse lead by the end of the first day at Durban Country Club on Thursday.

It required a monumental effort by the course maintenance staff and the eThekwini Municipality to take what was a waterlogged golf course following a deluge of rain the day before, and work through the night for an almost miraculous transformation of this layout, with only a three hour delay of the tee times.

Bairstow and From took full advantage and opened with rounds of seven-under-par 65 to lead, while South Africa’s Darren Fichardt was also on seven under with four holes to play when darkness forced a suspension of play. The delayed start means the first round will have to be completed on Friday morning, with play scheduled to resume at 08:00.

South Africa’s Jayden Schaper, Scotland’s Richie Ramsay, India’s Shubhankar Sharma, China’s Haotong Li and England’s Todd Clements all finished the day on six under par.

But for Bairstow and From, and indeed every professional in the field, it was a miracle that they could even tee off on Thursday.

“The day before I thought there would be no chance of playing, especially seeing the water on 16^th hole. But all credit to the maintenance staff for getting the course playable. They did an unbelievable job,” said Bairstow.

“I couldn’t believe it this morning when they didn’t call it off, to be honest. They must have worked the whole night pumping hundreds of thousands of litres of water. They did a great job,” added From.

Both players did well to drop only one shot in their rounds, while From added two eagles during his 65 on the par-five third and 10^th holes.

“I hit them both pretty close so it wasn’t too much work. My driver was working very well and it’s the kind of golf course where a good driving game can give you opportunities,” said the man who plays under a Swedish flag but who feels entirely at home in South Africa having spent so many years competing on the Sunshine Tour.

“It’s like I’m representing two flags here this week. For that reason it would be great to win,” he said.

Behind them, Ramsay has put himself in a great position to claim a second Investec South African Open title following his triumph in 2009.

And Schaper has also made a strong claim on this title following a few close finishes in the past. He finished tied sixth while still an amateur in the 2020 Investec South African Open, and also had finishes of tied ninth in 2022 and tied fifth in 2023.

“I’ve got a lot of good memories in this tournament. It’s just one that you want to do well in as our home Open, and this is a great venue for it this week,” said Schaper.

Bryan Newman and Christiaan Maas are currently the leading amateurs on one under par but still to complete their first rounds.

Thomas Abt, Commissioner of the Sunshine Tour, has praised the outstanding work of the Durban Country Club course maintenance staff and the eThekwini Municipality in working throughout the night to get the course ready for Thursday’s first round of the Investec South African Open.

Heavy rain had left the golf course waterlogged on the eve of this year’s championship. But after an incredible effort by the club and municipality, the first round was able to tee off on Thursday.

“On behalf of the Sunshine Tour and DP World Tour and all our professionals, we are extremely grateful to all parties for their outstanding efforts to enable us to start the first round today. They worked through the night and against the odds, and what they achieved is nothing short of remarkable. We are truly grateful for such an inspiring team effort. Thank you,” said Abt.

The start of the first round of the Investec South African Open has been delayed until 09:20 due to heavy rain and a waterlogged Durban Country Club course. All public facilities will be open from 08:00. For further updates, please follow our social media channels.

There will be everything to play for at this year’s Joburg Open as the R20.5 million tournament takes its place at a critical part of both the Sunshine Tour and DP World Tour season at Houghton Golf Club from 6-9 March.

The Joburg Open is the final tournament on the DP World Tour’s International Swing, with England’s Laurie Canter set to tee it up at Houghton as he seeks to secure victory on this Swing and the US$200 000 bonus as well as qualification for some of the DP World Tour’s most lucrative tournaments later in the season.

The Joburg Open will also be the final tournament before the Sunshine Tour’s new The Courier Guy Playoffs, and is therefore the last opportunity to unlock a wealth of incentives at the end the season.

At the conclusion of the Joburg Open, the leading 72 players on the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit delivered by The Courier Guy will qualify for the first playoff tournament – the Serengeti Invitational from 20-23 March at Serengeti Estates where they will compete for R2.5 million in prize money.

Thereafter the top 50 players on the Order of Merit delivered by The Courier Guy will qualify to play in the season-ending DNi Tour Championship at The Club at Steyn City from 27-30 March, with a total purse of R3 million.

At the end of The Courier Guy Playoffs, 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.

Daniel van Tonder, currently first on the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit delivered by The Courier Guy, and Shaun Norris, currently second, will both tee it up at the Joburg Open in their ongoing battle for the number one spot at the end of the season.

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. – Michael Vlismas

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

DURBAN (KwaZulu-Natal) – Dean Burmester said it best when he looked out over Durban Country Club and the spectacular staging ahead of this week’s Investec South African Open and declared, “I feel incredibly proud”.

It is indeed a proud moment for Burmester to return as the defending champion of the Investec South African Open. It’s an equally proud moment for South African golf as the revamped Durban Country Club welcomes back a championship that this course has hosted more than any other, and with it this year forming part of the Open Qualifying Series with the leading three players not already exempt for the Major earning a place in The Open at Royal Portrush.

A quality field of Sunshine Tour and DP World Tour players have assembled in Durban to contest for a place in history. A place Burmester is happy to have taken with his own victory in this event.

“I’m just proud to be the defending champion and to stand here as a South African having lifted that trophy. I have my name alongside so many great champions of this event. I’m proud to be here and I’m proud to put up a defence of this special championship,” he said.

“It’s a good field this week, and it’s great that our Open – the second oldest national Open in the world – can draw a field like this. The course has changed a lot since last I played here in 2013. They’ve put in a burn on the back nine which comes into play a lot. They’ve opened up a lot of the bush areas and that’s let the rough grow. You have to be really precise. We’ll get some wind and rain this week so it will be all about managing emotions and conditions and then we’ll see what happens.”

The field is an intriguing mix including three of the top five on the current DP World Tour Race to Dubai Rankings in John Parry, Laurie Canter and Shaun Norris, and every one of the top five on the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit delivered by The Courier Guy. It has a mix of local and international former champions such as Branden Grace, Brandon Stone, Daniel van Tonder and Hennie Otto, as well as England’s Chris Paisley and Andy Sullivan. It has GolfRSA’s leading amateurs such as Jordan Burnand, Christiaan Maas, Astin Arthur, Bryan Newman and Charl Barnard. It will showcase the hope of the Sunshine Tour’s Papwa Sewgolum Class for transformation professionals, with Tristin Galant given an Investec invitation to compete this week. And it will feature players such as Charl Schwartzel who has come close in this championship before and wants to also add his name to the list of greats on this trophy.

“These days, any week you tee it up, there is great competition out there. But it’s good. This is our flagship event on the Sunshine Tour, and returning to an iconic venue like this is great. Coming back to this championship as a former winner gives you that goosebump feeling when you walk in here,” said Grace. – Michael Vlismas

Tickets are available to buy at www.sunshinetour.com

As the headline sponsor of the Investec SA Open, Investec is dedicated to elevating local talent and showcasing South African golf talent on the international stage.

Jonsson Workwear is the official workwear partner of the Investec South African Open and the Sunshine Tour, joining other partners such as Hyundai, The Courier Guy, CIRCA, Airlink and Provantage as major brands supporting the national Open.

The Municipality of eThekwini is proud to have Durban as the Host City of the 2025 Investec South African Open.

JOHANNESBURG, Gauteng – The Hyundai Open driven by the Palisade tournament has been abandoned due to the inclement weather which made the Royal Johannesburg East Course unplayable. 

The tournament will count towards events played for players who have remained entered until the event has been called off in the current season.

The Hyundai Open driven by the Palisade will be rescheduled in the new season at Royal Johannesburg’s East Course on a date to be confirmed.

Tristin Galant rewarded with Investec invitation as leading Sunshine Tour Transformation Player

Charl Schwartzel and Branden Grace are headed to Durban as part of a showcase of top South African talent, which will also include a special Investec invitation for Tristin Galant as the leading Sunshine Tour Transformation Player at the Investec South African Open at Durban Country Club, from 27 February to 2 March 2025.

Tickets are available to buy at https://sunshinetour.com/tickets

Schwartzel, the 2011 Masters champion, and Grace, the 2020 Investec South African Open champion, have both confirmed their places in the second oldest national Open in golf. Galant, the highest ranked professional from the Sunshine Tour’s Papwa Sewgolum Class for transformation professionals and not otherwise exempt for this tournament, has been granted a special invitation to compete alongside the biggest names on the Sunshine Tour and DP World Tour as part of Investec’s support of transformation in South African professional golf.

It will be a significant moment for Galant as he represents the Papwa Sewgolum Class at a Durban Country Club that formed a great part of Sewsunker “Papwa” Sewgolum’s career.

They’ll join defending Investec South African Open champion Dean Burmester in a strong local field that is focused on claiming a seventh consecutive South African victory in this tournament.

With the in-form Daniel van Tonder also in the field, this year’s Investec South African Open will now have three of the last five winners of the tournament at Durban Country Club.

The South African challenge will also feature Shaun Norris, currently the highest ranked South African on the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai Rankings in fifth place, as well as last season’s winner of the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit delivered by The Courier Guy and now a DP World Tour campaigner, Ryan van Velzen, and last season’s winner of the Fortress Rookie of the Year Award and now also a DP World Tour campaigner, Robin Williams.

Grace returns to home fairways having won the 2020 Investec South African Open when he beat close friend Louis Oosthuizen to the title.

“To win the second oldest Open in the world and with so much history is special. It also makes it special beating a player of Louis’s calibre,” said Grace.

Schwartzel is back for another shot at a title where he’s twice finished second – one of those a playoff defeat. “It would be an amazing tournament to win as the second oldest national Open in golf. As a South African it would be a privilege to have that under your belt. All golfers want to win their national Open and it would mean a lot to me to do so,” he said.

The fact that this year’s $1.5 million tournament – co-sanctioned by the Sunshine Tour and DP World Tour – will be played at the historic and recently revamped Durban Country Club should also appeal to Schwartzel.

He finished second behind winner Tim Clark at Durban Country Club in the 2005 Investec South African Open, and on the last occasion the tournament was played here in 2010, he finished fourth behind winner Ernie Els.

As the headline sponsor of the Investec SA Open, Investec is dedicated to elevating local talent and showcasing South African golf talent on the international stage.

Jonsson Workwear is the official workwear partner of the Investec South African Open and the Sunshine Tour, joining other partners such as Hyundai, The Courier Guy, CIRCA, Airlink and Provantage as major brands supporting the national Open.

The Municipality of eThekwini is proud to have Durban as the Host City of the 2025 Investec South African Open.

The Sunshine Tour will tee off its new 2025/26 season with a showcase of champions throughout South African golf in the second edition of the Waterfall City Tournament of Champions, supported by Attacq and Waterfall City Management Company at Royal Johannesburg’s famed East Course from 22-25 May 2025.

The tournament will once again bring together the most diverse field of champions in South African golf, including amateurs and professionals in the men’s and women’s games, as well as the leading golfers within the South African Disabled Golf Association (SADGA).

The professionals, drawn from the Sunshine Tour and Sunshine Ladies Tour, will again compete for a first prize of R1 million.

Last season saw a thrilling duel between Sunshine Tour star Louis Albertse and Sunshine Ladies Tour professional Casandra Alexander for the overall title, with Albertse winning.

The field will include, upon availability, the winner of the 2024/25 Sunshine Tour Order of Merit delivered by the Courier Guy, the 2024/25 Fortress Rookie of the Year, the leading Papwa Sewgolum Class player from the 2024/25 Sunshine Tour Order of Merit delivered by the Courier Guy not otherwise exempt, South African winners of international tournaments held outside of the borders of South Africa from 1 January 2024 until the Waterfall City Tournament of Champions, supported by Attacq and WCMC, the winner of the 2025 Sunshine Ladies Tour Order of Merit, Sunshine Ladies Tour winners from 2025, the winner of the 2024 Betway Big Easy Tour Order of Merit, the winner of the 2025 Africa Amateur, the leading amateur from the GolfRSA Order of Merit as nominated by GolfRSA, and five wild card entries.

The amateurs and professionals will compete over 72 holes of stroke play, while the SADGA golfers will compete over 36 holes of medal play.

There will be comprehensive TV coverage of the event on SuperSport Channel 213 Golf.

Willie Vos, CEO of Waterfall City Management Company, said: “We are very proud to be associated with the Sunshine Tour, which strives for excellence, as do Waterfall City Management Company and our associates. We also appreciate the innovative format of the Waterfall City Tournament of Champions. It echoes the innovation we apply to both the design and management of our city, which aligns perfectly with our mission of creating a place where people love to be.”

Michael Clampett, Asset and Property Management Executive at Attacq, said: “We are excited to welcome the Sunshine Tour back to Waterfall City. This tournament not only showcases South Africa’s exceptional golf talent but also embodies the values of inclusivity and opportunity that Attacq champions. We’re proud to partner with SADGA and the Sunshine Tour to bring this event to life and enabling all passionate golfers to participate in a prestigious televised golfing tournament.”

Thomas Abt, Commissioner of the Sunshine Tour, said: “The first edition of the Waterfall City Tournament of Champions, supported by Attacq and WCMC, proved incredibly popular with the golfers and fans alike. It’s made its debut as something new and fresh on our schedule, and it certainly delivered. We’re looking forward to starting our season with another world-class showcase of the depth in South African golf, and giving our fans a look at what they can expect over the coming tournaments on the Sunshine Tour and Sunshine Ladies Tour, but also from the rising stars within GolfRSA and the inspirational golfers from SADGA.”

Pieter Verwey, SADGA Non-Executive Director, said: “We are proud to be associated with the Sunshine Tour, Waterfall City, and Attacq. The success of last year’s event demonstrated the impact of providing our players with a platform to compete on a national scale. Through collaboration with sponsors and event owners, we continue to elevate disabled golf and create opportunities for talented players.”

About Waterfall City Management Company

Waterfall City Management Company (WCMC) is the property, asset and operational manager for the Waterfall City land. WCMC is responsible for managing and coordinating all the current and future developments on and for the Waterfall City development, on behalf of the Landowner. WCMC has been working with developers and investors since 2004, to create the largest mixed-use development in Africa. The company holds extensive expertise in the field of leasehold and as such are the appointed specialists in the leasing agreements for the developments in Waterfall City.

Each year sees Waterfall City expand, offering more top-notch facilities to its residents, commercial tenants, visitors and communities in the surrounding area, making it a truly remarkable development within Gauteng. It is a modern city that takes into consideration unique design aesthetics to ensure Waterfall City lives up to the development’s goal of offering integrated stay-work-play environments that provide unsurpassed quality of life in a vibrant urban setting.

www.waterfallcity.co.za

About Attacq

Attacq Limited is a South African Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) and A2X Markets. At the heart of Attacq’s business is a commitment to creating a positive impact in its spaces and communities, generating sustainable value for all stakeholders involved.

Guided by our Horizon 2030 strategic framework, we aim to be South Africa’s top precinct developer, with a vision to be a client-focused, innovative, and trusted real estate business that places client needs and satisfaction at the forefront of our operations. Attacq’s portfolio focuses on three core areas: Waterfall City, which includes completed developments, projects under construction, and leasehold land; the Rest of South Africa, comprising our broader completed real estate portfolio; and Other Investments, such as a 4.0% stake in Lango Real Estate Limited and business diversification initiatives that complement our existing portfolio.

Our portfolio includes assets such as Mall of Africa, Garden Route Mall, Mooi Rivier Mall, Eikestad Mall, and Lynnwood Bridge Precinct. Attacq has strengthened its financial position through an R2.7 billion transaction with the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF), which resulted in a 30% shareholding in Attacq Waterfall Investment Company and reduced gearing to 25.4%. Recent portfolio changes include the sale of non-core assets in the Rest of Africa and a 6.5% stake in MAS, with reinvestments focused on income-generating properties.

With a market cap of approximately R9.8 billion, Attacq remains committed to sustainability and innovation, as reflected in our strong credit ratings of A+[ZA] (long-term) and A1[ZA] (short-term) from Global Credit Ratings (GCR).

For more information, visit www.attacq.co.za or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

GEORGE, Western Cape – Wilco Nienaber produced the most dominant performance of his career as he won his second NTT DATA Pro-Am title by seven strokes at Fancourt on Sunday.

Nienaber closed out a wire-to-wire victory that began with a 60 in the first round and ended with a 70 on the Montagu course on Sunday for a winning score of 27 under par.

Jean-Paul Strydom finished second on 20 under par with a closing 66.

It was an emotional day for Nienaber, who paid tribute to his ill grandfather after his win.

“It’s not going well with my grandfather. He’s currently in a step down facility and has been diagnosed with cancer. It’s been a tough time because we are a tight family. I went and saw him on Monday before this tournament. He has played a big role in my career. He was always there and has always loved his sport. He would’ve been here today if he could’ve been,” said Nienaber.

With his victory Nienaber joins an exclusive list of only four players to have won this title twice in its 30-year history, including Nick Price, Darren Fichardt and Oliver Bekker.

It was a victory made even sweeter by the fact that, unlike his last win in this event which came amidst the COVID pandemic, he could have his family with him to celebrate.

“It’s very cool to have them all here. This was a good performance. I wanted to get to 30 under par, but I’m proud of myself,” he said.

This was arguably Nienaber’s finest exhibition of golf considering the hold he had on this tournament from day one, and the fact that he came through 72 holes with only one bogey.

“It’s awesome. You dream of it. It’s nice to have a big lead like I did but you can’t really ever settle. It’s always in the back of your mind to not make a mistake. It’s nice to win early in the year though.” – Michael Vlismas

GEORGE, Western Cape – Wilco Nienaber will take a commanding six-stroke lead into Sunday’s final round of the NTT DATA Pro-Am as he seeks to become only the fourth golfer in the history of this tournament to win the title twice.

With a third round of 66 on Fancourt’s Montagu course on Saturday, Nienaber climbed to 25 under par overall and remained in control of a tournament that he has led from day one following an incredible opening round of 60.

His nearest challenger is Jacques Blaauw on 19 under par after he signed for a 69 on Saturday.

Nienaber won this Sunshine Tour and HotelPlanner Tour co-sanctioned title in 2021, and a victory on Sunday would see him join Nick Price, Darren Fichardt and Oliver Bekker as the only players to have won it twice in its 30-year history.

“I’m treating Sunday like just another golf day. I did think about my victory here in 2021 and just tried to get into that same headspace. This is a different position to be in because in 2021 I hadn’t thought of winning and then it just happened,” he said.

Nienaber started his third round with a bogey on the first, but it was his first bogey all week and he was able to quickly move past it as he made seven birdies thereafter, including three consecutive birdies to finish.

“I know I can make bogeys, but I also know I can make a lot of birdies. That shot on the first was average and then I got punished by being plugged in the bunker, so bogey was actually a good score there. At one point I did wonder if there were going to be many birdies out there today, but I just put that out of my mind and did my own thing. I’m really rolling the putter nicely,” he said.

Nienaber has done exceptionally well to keep himself in the present despite playing such dominant golf this week, and it’s something he hopes to continue doing on Sunday.

“There are obviously a lot of thoughts going through your mind during a round and there’s a lot of time between shots. It sounds like a cliché but you really just need to focus on every single shot. If I can do that, I’ll be fine.” – Michael Vlismas