The Sunshine Tour Championship trophy will be up for grabs this week at Serengeti Estates. The Sunshine Tour Championship trophy will be up for grabs this week at Serengeti Estates. Picture: Supplied
Johannesburg - The rewards for a season of consistent performance await the top 50 professionals on the Sunshine Tour this week as they gather at Serengeti Estates for the season-ending Tour Championship, and with a shot at a place in some of world golf’s biggest tournaments to play for.
The R2million tournament not only rewards the leading professionals on the Tour, but also offers a range of South African and international exemptions.
The winner of the Tour Championship will receive a two-year exemption on the Sunshine Tour.
The leading golfer on the Sunshine Tour’s final Order of Merit for the season will earn a place in two of the four majors – the 151st Open Championship at Royal Liverpool and, via the Federation Ranking on the Official World Golf Ranking, the US PGA Championship at Oak Hill – as well as in the Nedbank Golf Challenge.
The top three professionals on the final Order of Merit will also earn DP World Tour cards for the new season, as well as R500 000 in Bitcoin (first place), R200 000 in Bitcoin (second place) and R100 000 in Bitcoin (third place).
“There is plenty to play for at the Tour Championship, which is a worthy reward for the consistency shown by these professionals over the season. We’re grateful for the support from Serengeti Estates and their shared commitment to reward the excellence and consistency of our leading professionals,” said commissioner of the Sunshine Tour Thomas Abt.
Serengeti Estates has established itself as a popular Sunshine Tour venue with its Jack Nicklaus Signature Designed championship golf course and other world-class golf facilities such as the Whistling Thorn 18-Hole Par-3 golf course, ample practice facilities and a golf academy. January’s launch of the new Shamrock Putting Complex has also added significantly to Serengeti Estates’ vision of being the most complete golf experience.
“This fifth edition of the Tour Championship promises to be the best one yet. We at Serengeti look forward to graciously hosting the players and our guests at this unique event and are delighted to be associated with the Tour, where greatness truly begins,” said chief operating officer of Serengeti Golf Club Dino De Abreu.
The Serengeti Golf Club experience has caught the eye of some of the Sunshine Tour’s top professionals, many of whom are based at Serengeti Estates, including PGA Tour campaigner Christiaan Bezuidenhout.
Another Serengeti Estates resident, Tristen Strydom, made his professional breakthrough on the Sunshine Tour when he won the Tour Championship in record fashion last season. Strydom’s six-shot victory was the largest margin of victory in the history of the Tour Championship. Strydom also claimed the record for the lowest-winning total in the history of the Tour Championship on 21-under-par 267, surpassing the previous record of 19-under-par 269 by Garrick Higgo in 2020.
“I feel comfortable with the golf course and it’s just such a nice environment to compete in,” said Strydom.
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