IRENE, City of Tshwane – The Kit Kat Group Pro-Am returns to the Sunshine Tour schedule this week following the extreme flooding that forced the February edition of the tournament to be postponed.
From Friday to Sunday, Irene Country Club plays host to the second edition of this R1-million tournament, which features three of the four winners on the Tour this season as part of another quality field with a new wave of young stars making their presence felt.
Herman Loubser, Albert Venter and Rourke van der Spuy have set a youthful tone to the start of the season as they’ve all claimed victories on the Sunshine Tour this season.
Dylan Naidoo will be keen to join them as he returns to a tournament where he led the first round in February before the weather forced the cancellation of the event and its rescheduling to this week.
And both Louis Albertse and Hennie O’Kennedy will keep pushing hard for victories as well.
Albertse has finished no worse than 15th in his four tournaments played this season and came close to a win when he finished runner-up in the FBC Zimbabwe Open. He’s worked his way up into fourth place on the Luno Order of Merit.
O’Kennedy has been equally impressive as he’s climbed into third place on the Luno Order of Merit with three top-10s in his last four tournaments.
But it could well be the experienced Louis de Jager who teaches the youngsters a lesson this week. The five-time Sunshine Tour champion tops the Luno Order of Merit with two runner-up finishes and a fourth place in his last three tournaments as he keeps driving to win for the first time on Tour since the 2019 Eye of Africa PGA Championship.
Apart from providing another vital playing opportunity for the Sunshine Tour professionals, the Kit Kat Group has played a key role outside the ropes as well and has embraced its vision of making a difference in its communities.
Through its Birdies for Kit Kat Group initiative in 2021, the company partnered with the Sunshine Tour and its professionals in donating 2 543 food hampers to needy families who were reeling under the economic impact of COVID-19. The hampers were specifically donated to the South African Caddie Association (SACA), the South African Golf Development Board (SAGDB) and FeedSA.
