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The Sunshine Tour professionals once again made a valuable and vital contribution to the Birdies4Rhinos charity as they combined to raise R500 000 for rhino conservation in 2024.

Louis Albertse was the leading birdie maker with a record 501 birdies, earning his name on the famed rhino trophy that was handed over at this week’s Joburg Open.

The professionals donate an amount of their choice for every birdie they make during the year.

The contribution from the professionals as well as other fundraising initiatives took the overall total raised to roughly R1 million, which is donated to the Connected Conservation Foundation.

“The professionals are making a huge difference for us. All of the money they raise is put towards our projects involved in rhino conservation. We are making a difference, and the professionals help us considerably in terms of the success of our projects,” said Bruce “Doc” Watson, the Executive Chairman of the Connected Conservation Foundation.

Albertse said he was delighted to play his part in this cause.

“It’s a massive privilege to be able to help the rhinos in every way possible, and all the golfers coming together for us is brilliant,” he said.

The 115^th Investec South African Open will be played at Stellenbosch Golf Club, with the Cape’s fourth oldest golf club hosting the national Open for the second time in its history at the end of February 2026.

Stellenbosch Golf Club hosted the Investec South African Open in 1999 when local favourite
David Frost won the title at the golf club where he grew up and used to caddie for his father.

“Investec believes strongly that the Investec South African Open should travel around the country as a showcase of South African professional golf, and to allow the majority of South Africans to see and be inspired by this Out of the Ordinary championship which has such a proud history,” said Peta Dixon, Investec Head of Sponsorships.

“After being founded in 1974, one of Investec’s first regional offices opened in Cape Town in 1980, so we have a long and proud history in the Western Cape. We now have offices in Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Paarl, Tyger Valley, Knysna and George. We look forward to bringing the Investec South African Open back to Stellenbosch Golf Club for the first time in 26 years.”

Chris van der Merwe, General Manager of Stellenbosch Golf Club, said the club was delighted to welcome the Investec South African Open back to its fairways in the magnificent winelands of the Western Cape.

“We are incredibly honoured to have been selected as the host venue for the 2026 Investec South African Open and look forward to showcasing this prestigious championship as well as the beauty of Stellenbosch and the Cape winelands to a global audience. As one of the oldest golf clubs in the Cape, and indeed in South Africa, Stellenbosch Golf Club has hosted some major professional and amateur tournaments over the years and produced some of South Africa’s finest professionals such as Justin Harding, Oliver Bekker, Keenan Davidse, JJ Senekal and Hennie O’Kennedy. We’re looking forward to what will be a wonderful next edition in the proud history of this great championship.”

The Investec South African Open is co-sanctioned by the Sunshine Tour and DP World Tour and forms part of the DP World Tour’s International Swing. – Michael Vlismas

When the rain finally stopped, they came. They came and they filled the grandstands and surrounded the 18^th green at Durban Country Club. They came because not a waterlogged golf course nor a championship decided over 54 holes could stop history. They came to see Dylan Naidoo become the first South African player of colour to win the Investec South African Open.

With South Africa’s Naidoo and England’s Laurie Canter tied for the lead on 14 under par after three rounds, a deluge of rain on Sunday forced the cancellation of the final round. It was then decided that the two of them would settle this year’s championship in a playoff on the par-four 18^th. And with the weight of history resting on his young shoulders, Naidoo stood tall as he made the birdie on the first playoff hole that shook South African golf history.

The fact that this former member of the GolfRSA National Squad did it at a Durban Country Club where in 1963 Sewsunker “Papwa” Sewgolum made history as the first player of colour to win a professional golf tournament in South Africa in the Natal Open added to the history of the day.

“For what this means in terms of Papwa Sewgolum and him having won the Natal Open here, it’s incredible. I feel like he was with me here today,” said Naidoo.

The victory secures Naidoo a DP World Tour card and he also claimed one of the three spots on offer for The Open at Royal Portrush this July on a magical Sunday. A Sunday when his father had flown in to watch a final round that didn’t happen, then left for the airport to fly back home for work on Monday, then raced back from the airport to watch the playoff and see his son step into golf history.

“Me and my dad have been through it all, and I couldn’t think of someone more special to share this with. It’s just been the best day ever. I mean, I’m on the DP World Tour. That’s outrageous. I’m going to be playing around the world against some of the best players in the world. And I’m playing in The Open. It’s a dream,” said Naidoo.

South Africa’s Darren Fichardt and England’s Marco Penge were the other two players to also secure a place in The Open through the Investec South African Open’s status as part of the Open Qualifying Series.

South Africa’s Christiaan Maas finished as the leading amateur and winner of the Freddie Tait Cup for the second time in his career, ending the tournament on 12 under par overall.

It was indeed a day for dreams, the biggest of which no doubt belonged to Naidoo.

“I felt like I had nothing to lose in the playoff. I just wanted to go out there and have fun and do it. To have my name on the Investec SA Open trophy is unbelievable. It’s like a fairytale,” he said. – Michael Vlismas

DURBAN (KwaZulu-Natal) –  Dylan Naidoo walked onto Durban Country Club’s 18^th green and threw his arms up as Durban’s golf fans stood on their feet cheering the young South African who shares the lead with England’s Laurie Canter in the Investec South African Open.

In near darkness and with the field having finally caught up the suspensions caused by the heavy rain earlier in the week, Naidoo parred the last for a 71 and a share of the lead with Canter on 14 under par. Canter signed for a solid 68 on a windy and tricky day at Durban Country Club.

“I felt like Tiger Woods out there. It was outrageous. I had crowds that were five deep following me. I’ve never experienced anything like this before. It was just like an overflow of emotion. I’m ready for everything the final round has in store,” said Naidoo, who is chasing a maiden DP World Tour victory after coming close with a runner-up finish in December’s AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open.

Naidoo and Canter will go into Sunday’s final round one shot clear of England’s Marco Penge, while former Investec South African Open champion Branden Grace, Darren Fichardt and amateur Christiaan Maas are currently tied fourth on 12 under par.

But Saturday’s wind was a true showcase of the changes made to this venerable golf course and where its real strengths lie.

“It was a Test match out there. It was really difficult with the wind swirling, and it really was a case of patience and grinding,” said Naidoo.

Canter felt the same as he opened with a double bogey and then had to dig deep to get his challenge back on track.

“The golf course was a different animal in the wind. It was so much fun to play and such a great test. I like seeing the course with wind because I think that’s how it’s meant to play,” said Canter, who is looking for a double after winning the 2010 South African Amateur.

And just two shots back, Grace has a second Investec South African Open in his sights.

“It was just so amazing to see the crowds out there. I love this place and I’m looking forward to the final round,” he said.

Maas has easily wrapped up the Freddie Tait Cup for leading amateur as he also heads into the final round just two shots off the leaders. – Michael Vlismas

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