Latest news with #SunshineTour
The Citizen
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Citizen
Alfred Dunhill Championship moves from Leopard Creek to Joburg
The Alfred Dunhill Championship will return to its historical roots in Johannesburg when it will be played at Royal Johannesburg Golf Club from December 11 to 14 for the Leopard Creek golf course to recover after it hosted two big golf tournaments over the past summer. The Lowvelder reports that yesterday (July 25), the Sunshine Tour and organisers of the Alfred Dunhill Championship announced the decision to bring the championship back to the city where it was first played from 2000 to 2004 before moving to its traditional home of Leopard Creek. Leopard Creek course needs time to recover According to the Sunshine Tour, the hosting of the Alfred Dunhill Championship as well as the prestigious R&A Africa Amateur Championship in a short space of time over the intensely hot summer months in 2024, placed the Leopard Creek course under stress, and it requires a period of recovery. 'We're delighted to be bringing the Alfred Dunhill Championship back to Johannesburg where it was played for the first five years of its existence and are extremely grateful to Royal Johannesburg Golf Club for the opportunity,' said Thomas Abt, the commissioner of the Sunshine Tour.' Move to Royal Johannesburg Golf Club not permanent 'Royal Johannesburg Golf Club's East Championship Course is internationally renowned as a true championship venue and among the finest courses in Africa, and we look forward to showcasing the 2025 Alfred Dunhill Championship on such a challenging layout,' organisers said. The move back to Royal Johannesburg will only be effective for 2025, and the tournament will return to Leopard Creek in 2026.
The South African
4 days ago
- Sport
- The South African
Shock as Alfred Dunhill Championship moves from Leopard Creek
The Alfred Dunhill Championship will return to its historical roots in Johannesburg when it is played at the venerable Royal Johannesburg Golf Club from 11-14 December 2025. The Sunshine Tour and organisers of the Alfred Dunhill Championship announced the decision, for this year only, to bring the championship back to the city where it was first played from 2000 to 2004 before moving to its traditional home of Leopard Creek. According to the Sunshine Tour, the hosting of the 2024 Alfred Dunhill Championship as well as the prestigious R&A Africa Amateur Championship in a short space of time over the intensely hot summer months placed the Leopard Creek course under stress, and it requires a period of recovery. 'We're delighted to be bringing the Alfred Dunhill Championship back to Johannesburg where it was played for the first five years of its existence, and are extremely grateful to Royal Johannesburg Golf Club for the opportunity,' said Thomas Abt, Commissioner of the Sunshine Tour. 'Royal Johannesburg Golf Club's East Championship Course is internationally renowned as a true championship venue and amongst the finest courses in Africa, and we look forward to showcasing the 2025 Alfred Dunhill Championship on such a challenging layout.' Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
News24
5 days ago
- Sport
- News24
Alfred Dunhill Championship moves to Royal Johannesburg as Leopard Creek faces ‘stress'
The Alfred Dunhill Championship has moved from the iconic Leopard Creek Country Club and will be played at Royal Johannesburg Golf Club instead. According to the Sunshine Tour, organisers believe the course will be under stress over what is expected to be a busy and hot summer. The Alfred Dunhill Championship is schedule to take place in December. For more, visit News24's golf section. For the first time in two decades, the Alfred Dunhill Championship, a co-sanctioned DP World Tour event, will not be played at the iconic Leopard Creek Country Club this December. The tournament will now take place at Royal Johannesburg Golf Club from 11-14 December. READ | LIV stars confident SA's Major golf drought will end: 'We've got great young talent' Since 2005, the Alfred Dunhill Championship has called Leopard Creek home as it drove a new era of SA golfers with the likes of Ernie Els and Charl Schwartzel lifting the heavy leopard bronzed trophy. The Alfred Dunhill Championship features a selection of the finest professionals on the Sunshine and DP World Tour competing for a total purse of €1.5 million (approximately R26.8 million). The move to Royal Johannesburg comes as Leopard Creek continues to struggle under 'intensely hot summer months' in Malelane, Mpumalanga. The Sunshine Tour and organisers of the Alfred Dunhill Championship announced the decision on Friday, but insisted it was 'for this year only'. It brings the championship back to the city where it was first played from 2000 to 2004 before moving to its traditional home of Leopard Creek. As stated by the Sunshine Tour, hosting the Alfred Dunhill Championship alongside the esteemed R&A Africa Amateur Championship (5-8 February 2025) within a short timeframe during the scorching summer months has caused stress to the Leopard Creek course, necessitating a recovery period. Royal Johannesburg/Supplied 'We're delighted to be bringing the Alfred Dunhill Championship back to Johannesburg where it was played for the first five years of its existence, and are extremely grateful to Royal Johannesburg Golf Club for the opportunity,' said Thomas Abt, Commissioner of the Sunshine Tour. 'Royal Johannesburg Golf Club's East Championship Course is internationally renowned as a true championship venue and amongst the finest courses in Africa, and we look forward to showcasing the 2025 Alfred Dunhill Championship on such a challenging layout.' Leopard Creek has been a happy hunting ground for South Africans, with LIV golfer Branden Grace remaining the only player to have achieved the double of winning both the Alfred Dunhill Championship at St Andrews and the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship on home soil. Fellow Stinger GC teammate and 2011 Masters champion Charl Schwartzel is the last golfer to successfully defend the Alfred Dunhill Championship, winning back in 2012 and 2013. Already with four Alfred Dunhill Championship titles to his name, Schwartzel still owns the record tournament total of 24 under par and the biggest margin of victory of 12 strokes. Amazingly, he has also finished runner-up five times at Leopard Creek. Last year, countryman Shaun Norris kept the home streak alive as he sealed a one-stroke victory to win his second DP World Tour title.
IOL News
16-07-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
SA Open champion Dylan Naidoo 'in high spirits' ahead of Major debut at Royal Portrush
SA Open champion Dylan Naidoo will be making his Major debut at The Open in Northern Ireland. Picture: Troy Winfield/Sunshine Tour As the sun rises over Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland, South African golfer Dylan Naidoo is making his final preparations to tee off in his inaugural major tournament at the 153rd Open Championship. The excitement is palpable as the 27-year-old Gauteng-born golfer steps onto the hallowed grounds of golf's oldest championship, where he earned his spot following a stunning victory at the SA Investec Open earlier this year. Naidoo clinched his entry into the Open with a dramatic finish at the Durban Country Club, where he displayed remarkable composure on a soaked course to secure his win. His manager, Anders Davidsson, spoke to Independent Media from Ireland, sharing insights into the Naidoo's frame of mind and the electric atmosphere surrounding him. 'I've been here with Dylan since we arrived and he's in high spirits and really confident,' Davidsson said. 'We all think the time is right in his career for such a big moment. He's worked incredibly hard to get here and is looking forward to playing tomorrow (Thursday). His family is here to support him as well.'
Calgary Herald
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Calgary Herald
SGCC pro Phil Jonas captures 2025 Concorde Saskatoon Open golf championship
Experience won out. Article content Veteran golfer Phil Jonas — whose pro golf resume includes 45 events on the PGA Tour and 24 events on the European Senior Tour (Legends Tour), plus wins on the Sunshine Tour, PGA Tour Canada and PGA Latin American Tour — prevailed in the 2025 Concorde Group Saskatoon Open men's championship. Article content Jonas, now a teaching pro at the Saskatoon Golf and Country Club, pulled away from the pack Sunday at nine-under-par with a six-shot victory (69-65—134) over both assistant pro Tayden Wallin (69-71—140) and amateur Jesse Gibson (70-70—140), who finished tied for second. Article content Article content Solomon Ness placed a solo fourth (73-70—143). Article content Article content The two-day tournament was played Saturday at Riverside Country Club and Sunday at Holiday Park Golf Course in Saskatoon. Article content Jonas, a former three-time South African national junior champ (1976, 1978, 1979) and former IMG world junior winner (1974, 1976), won over a pair of former Saskatchewan junior champions, Wallin (2017) and Gibson (2009), who is also a two-time Saskatchewan Amateur runner-up. Article content It was a close three-way race but Jonas got it going with seven birdies Sunday, to go along with 10 pars and a single bogey, for a 6-under 65. Article content Gibson — who ended a 10-year golf sabbatical last summer — was coming off a victory in the 2025 Reliance Greggs Central Amateur one week earlier. Article content Wallin, who was the reigning Saskatoon Open champion after defeating Connor Scissons in a playoff, is the 2025 CPGA Saskatchewan Assistants champion. He beat out all other assistant pros from across the province with a 3-under (71-70) victory. Article content Article content Wallin, who is originally from Humboldt, is currently an apprentice assistant pro at Riverside. Article content Article content Article content The competitive golf schedule heats up in the province with the Saskatchewan junior boys and girls championships this week (Tuesday-Thursday) at the Lloydminster Golf and Country Club, followed by the Saskatchewan Men's Amateur and Women's Amateur championships the following week (July 15-18) at the Humboldt Golf Club. Article content Saskatoon's Ryan Mosher won the 2024 Saskatchewan junior boys' title, while Yorkton's Ella Kozak captured the 2024 Saskatchewan girls' crown. Article content Edmonton's Kyle Fisher is the reigning 2024 Saskatchewan Amateur men's champ. Calgary's Sela Ogada won the 2024 Saskatchewan Women's Amateur. Article content Article content Article content
