Tag: Sunshine Tour

A step forward for global golf: European Tour, Sunshine Tour partner to elevate game in South Africa

The European Tour and the Sunshine Tour have formed a new partnership to elevate golf in South Africa.

The European Tour and the Sunshine Tour have formed a new partnership that should not only elevate golf in South Africa but recognize its contributions to global golf. The European Tour announced that it is committed to improving the existing international pathway between the two Tours by co-sanctioning the South African Open through 2025, continuing to stage three Challenge Tour events in South Africa and creating several new co-sanctioned events that will appear on both the Challenge and Sunshine Tour schedules.

“For many years the European Tour has greatly valued the relationship we have enjoyed with the Sunshine Tour and today’s announcement is the next step in that journey together,” Keith Pelley, Chief Executive of the European Tour, said in a release.

“Through the leadership, vision and commitment of Chairman Johann Rupert, the Sunshine Tour has not only flourished and produced many of the game’s greats over decades, it is also part of the ecosystem that is at the very core of professional golf. We have been proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Sunshine Tour on this pathway for over a quarter of a century and we very much look forward to continuing this partnership for many years to come.”

The first event co-sanctioned by the European and Sunshine Tours, the Lexington South African PGA Championship, was played in February 1995. A familiar name, Ernie Els, took home the trophy that week. Since then, the two tours have combined close to 100 times.

South Africa ranks fourth on the list of most successful nations in European Tour history, behind only England, the U.S. and Spain. Several major winners have South African roots – not only Els but Retief Goosen, Charl Schwartzel, Louis Oosthuizen, Trevor Immelman and of course Gary Player.

The move drew support from the PGA Tour, the European Tour’s Strategic Alliance Partner.

“We are thrilled to see these two leading golf organizations come together for the benefit of the global game, players and fans,” said PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan. “The European Tour and Sunshine Tour each have rich histories, celebrated events and a proven record of developing some of the world’s best players. This new partnership further illustrates the strengthening ecosystem of professional golf that we have all worked together to build for the betterment of the game.”

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Christiaan Bezuidenhout is on a roll, widens lead at South African Open

Bezuidenhout posted his third consecutive 67 in this week’s South African Open to move to 15 under, widening his lead to five strokes.

If consistency is the key to capturing golf tournaments, Christiaan Bezuidenhout might just keep winning.

After winning the Alfred Dunhill Championship on last week’s Euro/Sunshine swing, Bezuidenhout posted his third consecutive 67 in this week’s South African Open to move to 15 under, widening his lead to five strokes heading into the final day.

If he does turn the trick, Bezuidenhout would be the first player to win consecutive European Tour events since Justin Rose did so in 2017.

Bezuidenhout posted just his second bogey of the week (again on the par-3 third hole), but didn’t drop another shot all day at Gary Player Country Club in Sun City. With other leaders fading a bit, the South African star made a total of six birdies including one on the day’s final hole.

Meanwhile, veteran Welshman Jamie Donaldson, who opened the day tied with Bezuidenhout atop the board, had a rough mid-round stretch, dropping shots on three of four holes from Nos. 8 to 11. Donaldson and Dylan Frittelli are 10 under with 18 holes to play.

South African Open: Leaderboard

The low round of the day went to South African JC Ritchie, who fired a 66 to get to 9 under for the week. Ritchie is tied with Dean Burmester for fourth.

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Christiaan Bezuidenhout maintains his roll, tied for lead at South African Open

Bezuidenhout is continuing to prove worthy of his top 50 ranking with his early play at this week’s South African Open.

With a victory in last week’s Alfred Dunhill Championship, Christian Bezuidenhout propelled himself back into the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking.

He’s continuing to prove worthy of that ranking with his early play at this week’s South African Open. Bezuidenhout recorded five birdies through his first nine holes and is one of six players who finished the day at 5 under.

The event, which is facing European Tour competition from the Golf in Dubai Championship this week, is being held at Gary Player Country Club in Sun City, South Africa, about three hours away from Bezuidenhout’s hometown of Delmas.

Others who finished with a 67 on the day were Jacques Kruyswijk, Dean Burmester, Matthias Schwab, Aron Zemmer and Ruan Korb.

Dylan Frittelli is just one off the pace, tied with Frenchman Matthieu Pavon.

Bezuidenhout, who is the highest-ranked player in the field at this event, has plenty to play for. He’s at No. 41 in the OWGR and No. 50 in the Golfweek/Sagarin rankings. He’s also No. 9 in the Road to Dubai points standings.

His only slip-up on the day came on No. 3 as he missed an eight-foot par putt.

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Christiaan Bezuidenhout keeps his composure, wins Dunhill Championship to get back in top 50

While others struggled with windy conditions in South Africa, Bezuidenhout used a final-round 69 to take the title.

Christiaan Bezuidenhout didn’t win the Alfred Dunhill Championship as much as he made sure not to lose it.

While others struggled with windy conditions at the picturesque Leopard Creek Country Club in South Africa, the 26-year-old Bezuidenhout maintained his composure in his home country and used a final-round 69 to take the title, his second on the European Tour.

Bezuidenhout finished at 14 under for the event, four strokes better than a pack of four that included second- and third-round leader Adrian Meronk.

Richard Bland, Sean Crocker and another South African Jayden Schaper tied with Meronk for second place at 10 under.

“It’s incredible. This tournament has been close to my heart since I played it for the first time,” Bezuidenhout said.  “It’s always been a tournament I wanted to win.”

With the victory, Bezuidenhout gets back into the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking.

Meronk, who was looking to become the first Polish winner in the European Tour’s history, struggled with the pressure on, finishing with a final-round 76.

“I’m a little bit disappointed today with the back nine, obviously,” Meronk said. “But if I look back on it, it’s a solid week. The best of my career so far.”

A South African swing of the European Tour continues next week at the historic South African Open at Gary Player Country Club in Sun City, an event that started in 1903 and is the second-oldest national golf championship — after the British Open.

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Adrian Meronk opens 3-shot lead at Dunhill Championship, first player from Poland to lead Euro Tour event

Meronk followed Thursday’s 65 with a solid 66 on Friday, using six birdies and an eagle to take a three-stroke lead.

Even with a bogey on the final hole of each of the day’s nines, Adrian Meronk took a commanding lead after the second day of the Alfred Dunhill Championship, becoming the first player from Poland ever to lead any round on the European Tour.

The event, which is held in unison by the European and Sunshine Tours, is being played at the picturesque Leopard Creek Country Club in Malelane, a small farming town in the northeast part of South Africa. Earlier in the day, the European Tour and PGA Tour announced a new alliance, with a release noting that the PGA Tour will buy a minority stake in the European Tour’s media production company.

Meronk followed Thursday’s 65 with a solid 66 on Friday, using six birdies and an eagle to take a three-stroke lead. The Polish product played collegiately at East Tennessee State University and has one victory on the Challenge Tour.

Joachim B. Hansen fired a 64 on Friday and is three shots behind Meronk, as is Richard Bland.

Christiaan Bezuidenhout, the highest-ranked player in the field, shot a 68 on Friday, moving into a tie for sixth place.

The event is one of the most intriguing on the European Tour because the course sits in a small enclave along the Crocodile River. The setting is so spectacular because just across the river sits Kruger National Park, one of Africa’s largest game reserves.

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See this: Amazing wildlife, South African scenery take center stage at Euro/Sunshine Tour event

The setting is so spectacular because just across the river sits Kruger National Park, one of Africa’s largest game reserves.

Those channel surfing for sports on Thanksgiving morning might have thought the Discover Channel had taken over the Golf Channel for a bit.

Instead, the amazing scenes were from the opening round of the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek Country Golf Club in Malelane, South Africa.

The course sits in a small enclave along the Crocodile River near Malelane, a small farming town in the northeast part of the country. The setting is so spectacular because just across the river sits Kruger National Park, one of Africa’s largest game reserves. Included in the many animals that roam Kruger — lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants and buffaloes.

Christiaan Bezuidenhout is the highest-ranked player in the field this week (No 61 in Official World Golf Ranking, No. 92 in Golfweek/Sagarin rankings) while Robin Roussel and Adrian Meronk each shot a 65 to take the early lead on Thursday.

“There is so much good vibes here,” said Roussel, a Frenchman who has three pro wins to his credit, including one on the Challenge Tour.

The setting is simply amazing.

 

Coronavirus: South Africa’s Sunshine Tour providing stipends to players

As the coronavirus pandemic has paused most professional golf, South Africa’s Sunshine Tour is taking care of its players.

In an effort to help players of Sunshine Tour, which is based in South Africa, officials announced on Thursday they’ll offer a monthly stipend to offset some of the losses incurred by golfers and caddies during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Women’s Professional Golf Association, in conjunction with the Sunshines Ladies Tour, announced that similar stipends will be given to the top 25 South African professionals on that tour.

The Sunshine Tour halted play on March 16, but following a call for solidarity from South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, the tour announced the stipends, which will be proportioned on a scale according to their various categories of membership for April and May.

“These are extraordinary times for our country, and they require an extraordinary response from all South Africans,” Sunshine Tour Commissioner Selwyn Nathan said in a statement.

“Our board has fully endorsed and approved this financial plan for our members, and those of the WPGA and the Sunshine Ladies Tour, as we believe wholeheartedly that this is the right course of action to support our membership base in a manner and on a level that will ensure the longevity of our Tours and help our members through these trying times.”

All caddies who are registered with the South African Caddie Association who were active during the 2019-20 season will also receive a stipend for April and May, the release said.

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“I would like to thank GolfRSA and the WPGA for the solidarity they have shown in this regard, and also say a special thank you to all the staff of the various Tours for the financial sacrifice they are willing to make in what are clearly very difficult and uncertain times for them as well,” Nathan added.

“South African professional golf is a very close family, and as such we will stick together in times of crisis.”

Meanwhile, to help with the funding, the executive staff of the Sunshine Tour agreed to take a voluntary staff reduction through that same two-month timeframe.