South African Open completes European Tour’s South African swing

Gary Player Country Club

The European Tour’s upcoming three-week South African Swing will be completed by the South African Open Championship, which will be played from December 3-6.

The co-sanctioned tournament with the Sunshine Tour – which will follow the Joburg Open and the Alfred Dunhill Championship – will be played for the first time at the iconic Gary Player Country Club in Sun City and will be jointly presented by Nedbank and Sun International.

A part of the European Tour International Schedule since 1997, the South African Open Championship holds the honour of being the second oldest national Open in golf, and this year will feature a total prize fund of R19.5 million.

Like the Alfred Dunhill Championship, this will be the second appearance of the South African Open Championship on the 2020 European Tour schedule, the tournament having been contested in January at Randpark Golf Club in Johannesburg, where home favourite Branden Grace triumphed.

Keith Pelley, Chief Executive of the European Tour, said: “I am delighted to see the South African Open Championship back on our International Schedule this year and sincere thanks go to everyone at the Sunshine Tour, Golf RSA, the South African Golf Association, Nedbank and Sun International for their commitment and support in making this happen.”

In the absence of the Nedbank Golf Challenge this year, Nedbank and Sun International – both longstanding sponsors of South African professional golf – agreed to support the country’s national Open and the playing opportunities it provides for South Africa’s leading professionals and top amateurs, while at the same time providing the critical business stimulus required in South African professional golf at this time.

Thomas Abt, Commissioner of the Sunshine Tour, said he was delighted to be able to confirm such a strong run of co-sanctioned tournaments at the end of the year.

“To have three big tournaments such as the Joburg Open, Alfred Dunhill Championship and South African Open Championship in a three-week stretch of international golf of the highest calibre on South African fairways is truly a testament to the incredible relationship we have with the European Tour, and our strong partnerships with our sponsors. We are extremely grateful to Nedbank and Sun International for their decision to support our national Open in this way.”