Category: Homepage New

Matthew Spacey and Benjamin van Wyk hold the clubhouse lead on six under par in the incomplete second round of the Limpopo Championship at the Euphoria Golf & Lifestyle Estate.

With the opening round only completed on Friday morning because of a weather delay, Spacey (69) and van Wyk (66) managed to also finish their respective second rounds to end the day in the joint lead and with both searching for a maiden Sunshine Tour victory.

For Spacey, the day was important in terms of his confidence.

“It’s been a nice thing coming. I have been struggling the last few events. I have been working hard with my coach and not seeing the results, but I started to gain a bit of confidence, which is nice. I have been really hitting it pretty solid and added a new putter in the bag last week. Everything is starting to come together,” he said.

With play suspended early on the opening day, it was a long second day for the field.

“It was tough playing 29 holes today. It’s a very long walk, so I am going to need a rest tonight,” Spacey said.

Looking ahead to the weekend, Spacey said he wants to put a disappointing season behind him and just focus on his own game.

“I will keep things the same with good routine and not push, because when I push I struggle. My season hasn’t been great this year, so it’s nice to see some good things coming out of it.”

The duo are currently one stroke clear of Luis Carrera, Jason Roets and Altin van der Merwe who also all completed their second rounds. The second round will resume at 7h30 on Saturday morning. – Michael Vlismas Media

The Limpopo Championship is expected to feature a strong field of established Sunshine Tour stars and a promising group of rising young contenders when this R2.5 million tournament is played at the Euphoria Golf & Lifestyle Estate from 9-12 October.

This flagship sporting event for Limpopo Tourism has drawn a list of entries including defending champion Deon Germishuys, two of the top three players on the Sunshine Tour’s Courier Guy Order of Merit, and seven of the past 10 champions on the Tour this season.

It’s another resounding endorsement of a tournament that will celebrate its seventh edition as an event that showcases the rich cultural and wildlife diversity of Limpopo.

“The Limpopo Tourism Agency’s partnership with the Sunshine Tour over the years to stage the Limpopo Championship continues to contribute immensely towards the agency’s mandate. A tournament of this magnitude attracts visitors, creates employment and supports economic development. Ultimately, the tournament makes a positive difference in the lives of the local community,” said Moses Ngobeni, the Limpopo Tourism Agency CEO.

The Limpopo Championship continues to grow in stature since its debut on the Sunshine Tour in 2019 and with past champions that include winners on the DP World Tour, HotelPlanner Tour and Sunshine Tour, and Sunshine Tour Courier Guy Order of Merit champions.

“It is a great achievement and a proud moment for all parties involved to see the Limpopo Championship becoming a permanent fixture on the South African golfing calendar. The strong field also includes a healthy contingency of international players,” said Jimmy Headbush, the Limpopo Championship promoter.

Germishuys, who won this title with a tournament record of 22 under par last year, is expected to make his return from his commitments on the DP World Tour.

He is seeking to become only the second player in Limpopo Championship history to successfully defend his title.

JC Ritchie was the first to do so with his victories in 2019 and 2020.

Young stars such as Samuel Simpson, a winner on Tour this season already, and Tyran Snyders, who has had three top-10s this season to play his way into the top 20 on the Courier Guy Order of Merit, will look to continue building on their good form in this year’s tournament. – Michael Vlismas Media

Dean Burmester has confirmed that he will play in November’s Fitch & Leedes PGA Championship on the Sunshine Tour as part of a personal desire with his teammates at Stinger GC to play a greater role in the growth of this event and to continue supporting the Tour where their careers began.

Stinger GC, which consists of captain Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel, Branden Grace and Burmester, has further contributed to the increase in the prize money for this year’s Fitch & Leedes PGA Championship to R3 million.

The Fitch & Leedes PGA Championship is South Africa’s second oldest professional tournament, and Burmester will head to St Francis Links from 27-30 November seeking to join a rare club of golfers who have won this tournament multiple times after his victory here in 2021.

“I’m very excited to play in the Fitch & Leedes PGA Championship. I have fond memories of winning this tournament in 2021 and it’s always an honour when you can win such a prestigious title on the Sunshine Tour and add your name to a trophy that has the names of some of Southern Africa’s greatest golfers on it. It’s going to be very special to be back there and supporting an event I’ve always held in high regard,” said Burmester.

Speaking as captain of Stinger GC, Louis Oosthuizen outlined his team’s desire to play an even greater role in supporting the Sunshine Tour and its premier tournaments.

“All four of us are homegrown Sunshine Tour players. We all started our careers on this Tour and took the opportunities provided to take our games to the international stage. It’s a privilege now for us to serve as an inspiration for the next generation of Sunshine Tour professionals to do the same, and that’s why we take every opportunity that we can to come home and support the Sunshine Tour.

“The Fitch & Leedes PGA Championship is one of our most prestigious tournaments and I’m proud to have won it twice. I know what it meant for my career. While we’d all like to be able to play in it this year, Dean will be there to represent us. Stinger GC and we as the players look forward to playing our part in the growth of this great event going forward.”

Gary Player’s 90^th birthday will feature one of the largest gatherings of South Africa’s most iconic sportsmen and the stars of the Sunshine Tour as they join the country’s greatest ever sportsman in celebrating this milestone and competing in the Gary and Vivienne Player Invitational at Sun City this November.

Springbok legends such as Bryan Habana, Victor Matfield and Steven Kitshoff will join Bafana Bafana greats Lucas Radebe, Shaun Bartlett and Mark Fish, as well as Proteas cricketers Herschelle Gibbs, Jonty Rhodes and JP Duminy, Liverpool football legend Sir Kenny Dalglish, International Boxing Hall of Fame star Brian Mitchell, golf star David Frost, former Miss World Rolene Strauss, and Irish musician Brian McFadden  in a veritable Hall of Fame of sports stars, golfers and celebrities who will compete in the 36-hole Gary and Vivienne Player Invitational at the Gary Player Country Club and Lost City Golf Course from 1-2 November.

This will be matched by a glittering array of business giants from Sun International, BMW, Citadel, Tabono, The Pro Shop, Rolex and Cell C as they continue their support of the Gary and Vivienne Player Foundation South Africa (GVPF SA) and its commitment to the sustainability of The Blair Atholl Pre-Primary School.

A field of 39 Sunshine Tour professionals will also compete in the Tour’s own tribute to an icon of the global game and a man who inspired generations of South African professional golfers.

The tournament will coincide with Gary Player’s 90^th birthday celebration that weekend.

Nelson Mandela once declared, “Through his tremendous influence as a great athlete, Mr Player accomplished what many politicians could not…His accomplishments as a humanitarian and statesman are equal to, and may even surpass, his accomplishments as an athlete. That is a legacy that will last forever”.

Player has always sought to remain true to these words, and his desire to keep giving back will also form part of his birthday festivities as he’s asked for people worldwide to respond to his call for “90 Acts of Kindness” in a show of compassion, and for the youth to “Become a Future Player” and make an impact in their own communities.

“In life we can be called to many things. Some to become great sportsmen. Some to entertain. Some to become business leaders. And we all walk those paths of our lives. But all of us, no matter who we are, are called to be kind to one another. I’m overwhelmed by the number of people who have shown me kindness in my life, and who will do so again by joining us at Sun City. And I hope it inspires all of us to not give in to the cynicism of the world, and to keep fighting to be kind,” said Player.

Full Field

Sports Stars and Celebrities

Gary Player, Brian McFadden, Keith Duffy, Sir Kenny Dalglish, Steven Kitshoff, Patrick Lambie, Schalk Brits, Jonty Rhodes, Rolene Strauss, Shaun Barlett,Victor Matfield, Owen Nkumane, JP Duminy, Herschelle Gibbs, Jimmy Tau, Maps Maponyane, David Kau, Mark Williams, Siviwe Soyizwapi, Stefan Terblanche, Butch James, Brian Baloyi, Corinne Vidén, Isabella Deilert, Bryan Habana, Jean de Villiers, Brian Mitchell, Naas Botha, Lucas Radebe, Mark Fish, Odwa Ndungane, Akona Ndungane, Robbi Kempson, Bongani Kumalo, Jaco van der Westhuyzen, Jaco Kriel, Stanton Fredericks.

Sunshine Tour Professionals

Oliver Bekker, Luis Carrera, Pieter Moolman, Jean Hugo, Heinrich Bruiners, Luca Filippi, Samual Simpson, Malcolm Mitchell, Luke Jerling, Yurav Premlall, Jacques Blaauw, Jacquin Hess, Makhetha Mazibuko, Karabo Mokoena, Keenan Davidse, Keelan Africa, Warwick Purchase, Altin van der Merwe, Ricky Handler, Lyle Rowe, Christiaan Burke, Fredrick From, Martin Rohwer, Jason Roets, Wynand Dingle, Graham van der Merwe, Conner Mackenzie, Jaco Prinsloo, Xander Basson, Jack Hawksby, Jake Redman, Jordan Duminy, Matthew Spacey, Ethan Smith, Doug McGuigan, Quintin Wilsnach, James Mack, Keelan van Wyk, David Frost.

Join the campaign:
Follow and share your acts of kindness using the hashtag #90Acts
Support the Gary & Vivienne Player Foundation South Africa’s work at: https://garyandvivienneplayerfoundationdonate.org/southafrica/

Watch the stories:

@gary.player

@gvpfsa

Johannesburg will once again be the stage for the culmination of the DP World Tour’s prestigious International Swing as the Joburg Open returns to Houghton Golf Club from 5-8 March, 2026, and with the chance for a South African professional to make history.
 
No South African professional has yet claimed an overall Swing victory on any of the five Global Swings that make up the DP World Tour’s season, and the Joburg Open’s co-sanctioning status with the Sunshine Tour offers the perfect opportunity for a local champion of the International Swing.
 
An overall Swing victory of one of the five Global Swings earns the winner a US$200 000 bonus as well as qualification for some of the DP World Tour’s most lucrative tournaments later in the season.
 
In announcing the 2026 Joburg Open, Cllr Dada Morera, the Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg, said the opportunities this tournament provides and its global status reaffirms the city as a prime destination for major international events.
 
“The Joburg Open, and our partnerships with the Sunshine Tour and DP World Tour, plays a valuable part in our tourism objectives to deliver the global message that Johannesburg is a city of opportunity and a home of world-class sporting events,” said Cllr Morera.
 
“It’s a message we’ve managed to consistently share since the inaugural Joburg Open in 2007, and through a tournament that showcases not only the operational excellence of the City of Johannesburg, but also serves as a source of pride for the golfers who participate and the opportunities it provides our next generation of South African golf stars to pursue their dreams. We’re also delighted to return to one of Johannesburg’s most historic and valued golf clubs in Houghton Golf Club for what will surely be another memorable edition of this tournament.”
 
The Joburg Open will also play a key role in determining the top 72 players on the Sunshine Tour’s Courier Guy Order of Merit who will qualify for The Courier Guy Playoffs at the end of the current season where they will challenge for a range of incentives.
 
At the end of The Courier Guy Playoffs, the number one-ranked player on the final Courier Guy Order of Merit will receive a R500 000 cash bonus, a DP World Tour card for the following season, an exemption into the Nedbank Golf Challenge, and possible qualification routes via the Federation Ranking on the Official World Golf Ranking to The Open Championship and US PGA Championship.
 
The second and third place finishers on the Courier Guy Order of Merit will be fully exempt into all of the following season’s HotelPlanner Tour events and will also receive cash bonuses of R200 000 and R100 000 respectively.
 
“The Joburg Open occupies an important space on our schedule as a tournament that can truly launch a career and provide untold opportunities for its champion. We have a long and proud history with the City of Johannesburg and are looking forward to another week that takes the message of this world-class African city to the world, in partnership with the DP World Tour,” said Thomas Abt, Commissioner of the Sunshine Tour.
 
Ben Cowen, the DP World Tour’s Chief Tournament & Operations Officer, said: “We’re looking forward to returning to Houghton Golf Club for the fourth time in the history of the Joburg Open, and for a week that is going to be vital in terms of the crowning of our International Swing champion. It was at the Joburg Open where we teed off the new DP World Tour era, and it’s always a pleasure to return to a city – and to our partners at the Sunshine Tour and City of Johannesburg – that occupies such a key place on our schedule.”
 

• Englishman John Parry and Germany’s Marcel Siem add to field for DP World Tour and Sunshine Tour co-sanctioned event

• Tickets available at an Early Bird special of 15% discount until 30 September 2025 at https://www.ticketbox.mu/event/abmo-2025 and using the code ‘GOLF15’

Englishman John Parry has confirmed that he will defend his AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open title when the Sunshine Tour and DP World Tour co-sanctioned tournament is played at the spectacular La Réserve Golf Links, Heritage Resorts, from 18-21 December.

Parry claimed an emotional two-stroke victory over South Africa’s Dylan Naidoo and Christo Lamprecht at Mont Choisy Le Golf in 2024 which also helped him secure an overall victory of the DP World Tour’s Opening Swing that season. The AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open will once again be the final tournament on the DP World Tour’s Opening Swing.

Parry returns to Mauritius looking to become the first player in the history of the tournament to successfully defend his title.

“I’m excited to return to the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open to try and defend my title. I have such good memories of Mauritius. The win was a major confidence boost for me in my career, and then to win the Opening Swing as well was a welcome bonus. And on top of this, the victory came on the day of my wedding anniversary. So Mauritius really holds fonds memories for me and I’m looking forward to going back there,” said Parry.

The Englishman’s victory in Mauritius was indeed life-changing for him, and could continue to be so. His win set him up to chase a potential PGA TOUR card. Parry is currently ranked eighth on the DP World Tour Race to Dubai Rankings, and if he retains his place in the top 10 by the end of the current season, he will earn PGA TOUR membership for next season.

Germany’s Marcel Siem is also confirmed for this year’s tournament and will relish a return to La Réserve Golf Links where he is an ambassador for Heritage Golf Club.

Siem has a proud history with the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open having played in this event five times with top finishes of tied 16^th and 19^th, and he particularly enjoys the challenge of La Réserve Golf Links.

“They’ve done a fantastic job with this golf course. It’s a tough test. You have to hit some good shots there, especially when the wind blows. The fairways and greens are really good, and there are some really tough holes out there,” he said.

The AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open continues to make a powerful impact throughout world golf.

In less than a decade, the tournament has already established itself as a success story, and last year it delivered a record US$4.2 million in net economic impact for the Mauritian economy.

It was also the first DP World Tour victory for Rasmus Højgaard, who last week made his Ryder Cup debut as a member of the European team. Over the years it has hosted former Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup stars, and Major winners.

It has also been the starting point for many an international career, with both Dylan Naidoo and Christo Lamprecht, who finished runner-up last year, going on to claim breakthrough victories on the DP World Tour and Korn Ferry Tour shortly thereafter.

The AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open is proudly supported by leading brands such as AfrAsia Bank, Heritage Resorts, ER Group, Beachcomber Resorts & Hotels, Heritage Villas Valriche, Mont Choisy Group, Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA), Range Rover, Emtel, Poncini, Mauritius Golf Federation, Phoenix Beverages, ticketbox.mu, DStv, C-Care, Mautourco, Ernie Els Wines, CBE and Miko Coffee.

STELLENBOSCH, Western Cape – Zander Lombard took another positive step in his comeback when he opened with a seven-under-par 64 highlighted by an albatross to lead Friday’s first round of the Vodacom Origins of Golf at the Devonvale Golf & Wine Estate.

Lombard only returned to competitive golf in February this year following a near 10-month layoff after a knee injury and surgery.

But on a magnificent day in the Cape winelands he looked quite at home at the top of the leaderboard following a round that featured an albatross on the par-five 11^th.

“The albatross definitely boosted the round. It was such a perfect three wood hit just straight at the flag and which landed about nine metres short of the flag and trickled in. It was cool to see. It’s not every day that happens, and it’s great to have happened on day one of this tournament,” he said.

He leads by two strokes over Altin van der Merwe, and with a strong group of players including Keenan Davidse, George Coetzee, Stephen Ferreira and Yurav Premlall all just three strokes off the lead.

Gabrielle Venter is the leading Sunshine Ladies Tour professional after her opening round of two-under-par 69.

Lombard’s start was a big confidence boost as he continues to build his way back in the game following his injury.

“Since I had my 10 months off with my knee injury it’s been weird. I’ve been lacking a bit of consistency. But I’ve always felt like I’ve been playing well and just not scoring. To have a low round and get that confidence up, and to see the ball going in the hole and posting a good score is really nice. It seems like it’s all coming together at the right time now towards the end of the year and with some big tournaments to come.”

It’s also quite apt that Lombard should be hitting form in this tournament. His lone Sunshine Tour victory to date came on the 2018 Vodacom Origins of Golf series.

“The Vodacom Origins of Golf series really boosted my career. I’ve always enjoyed these events. They look after the players well and the pro-am before the events are always fun. Vodacom has been part of the Sunshine Tour for so many years and I love what they do for the Tour and for South African golf.” – Michael Vlismas

In the highly professional and technical world of modern golf, the 70-year-old Isaac Mahoney is a rare breed.

In his world, there isn’t too much use for digital devices, technological aids or complicated teaching drills to build what many consider to be the perfect golf swing.

As a golf coach for the South African Golf Development Board (SAGDB) since its inception in 1999, he’s used anything from an old duvet hung on his wife’s washing line to a broomstick to even the action of drinking a cooldrink to help teach the hundreds of underprivileged kids he’s helped discover golf.

And that’s because Mahoney isn’t looking to create the perfect golf swing. Rather, he’s looking to use golf to help create an almost perfect life for these children.

“Golf is the reward. The end result of whether they become superstars in the game doesn’t matter to me, just as long as these kids starting playing golf. I don’t care whether they are A Division, B Division or C Division champions. I just want them playing golf,” Mahoney said on the driving range at Devonvale Golf & Wine Estate on Thursday during a golf clinic for the SAGDB golfers with the Sunshine Tour professionals competing in this week’s Vodacom Origins of Golf tournament.

Mahoney’s simple approach to golf is borne from the simple and uncomplicated manner in which he first discovered the game.

“I grew up in Worcester. There was a golf course in what we called the township, and I lived behind it. Naturally I was a caddie. I always joke that golf estates are not a new thing in South Africa. We had golf estates back then already. We used to make clubs out of wire and then bend the face open or closed to create the different lofts. We made our own golf balls. And then we’d play through the backyards of the township. That was our version of a golf estate.

“So I use simple techniques to teach the kids. Golf coaching is often too technical for them. I try and make it as simple for them to understand. I explain it to them using examples they can relate to. For example, I tell them if you lift up a cooldrink can then your elbow and wrist action looks like this, which is a good action for the golf swing as well. I take what the top professionals do, and then I think how I’m going to explain it to a kid from the Boland so he understands it.”

And with every lesson, Mahoney has a life lesson attached to it for his young golfers.

“The simplicity of the golf swing is the most important for me, and together with that the life lessons I can teach the children. These kids will grow up and remember the lessons of golf one day. That’s more important. I teach them about avoiding the hazards on a golf course like avoiding the hazards of life. And if you find yourself in a hazard like a bunker, you need to equip yourself to get out of it. As in life, if you make a mistake you need to have the tools to correct it. I tell them that in their lives, it’s about not lying about a mistake. Tell the truth, and then you’re out of the bunker, so to speak. The children understand that language far better than the technicalities of a swing.”

Since the start of the Vodacom Origins of Golf series in 2004, the series has always included an SAGDB golf clinic with the Sunshine Tour professionals to help show these young children the world that golf can open up to them.

And in his decades of teaching, Mahoney has also witnessed many examples of how golf has changed the lives of young people.

“The kids are all over the place, but as soon as they start playing golf they change. Their whole personality changes. You see changes at school and at home, and you see how they change the people around them. That’s just because of the game of golf. It’s just about playing the game that changes them. I had one girl who just wasn’t performing anywhere in her life. She started playing golf and it changed her entirely. Today she’s a member of the SAPS and plays golf for the police.”

For Mahoney and the kids at the Vodacom Origins of Golf clinic, it comes down to a simple philosophy.

“We can offer golf nothing, but golf gives us everything. It’s up to us to get the kids into golf and to teach the lessons of golf. The game will then decide where they go with it. But the life lessons will always be there for them.” – Michael Vlismas