CAPE TOWN - The Sunshine Tour has salvaged the women’s professional golf tour based in southern Africa by offering a condensed Women’s Tour schedule after the Covid-19 pandemic put paid to competition in the last few months.
The 2021 calendar starts with the Cape Town Women’s Open at Royal Cape Golf Club on April 7.
The season ends with the South African Women’s Open at Westlake Golf Club in Cape Town starting on May 13.
Exciting News!
— Sunshine Ladies Tour (@SLadiesTour) March 19, 2021
The Investec South African Women’s Open will be an official qualifying event for this year’s US Women’s Open, hosted at The Olympic Club in San Francisco.@LETgolf @Investec @WestlakeGC @LPGA #SunshineLadiesTour #InvestecGolf#Golf#LevelUp pic.twitter.com/CeaPLVxeT9
This time, the SA Women’s Open will be a Women’s European Tour co-sanctioned event and will be an official qualifying event for this year’s US Women’s Open at The Olympic Club in San Francisco in June.
The South African winner of the SA Women’s Open takes home an additional R100 000 for the Investec Homegrown Award, courtesy of sponsors Investec.
The general manager of the Sunshine Ladies Tour Pauli van Meersbergen praised the role of the sponsors in helping to keep the women's season alive in challenging times.
“As a partner and sponsor, Investec has made an immeasurable contribution to the Sunshine Women’s Tour since the circuit launched in 2014," said Van Meersbergen.
“They have consistently upped the ante with additional incentives to promote the development of women’s professional golf in our country.”
After the Cape Town opener, the Tour moves on to Gauteng and North West for events at Glendower Golf Club, Gary Player Country Club at Sun City and the Soweto Country Club before returning to the Mother City to end the eighth season of the local women’s professional circuit.
The 2021 Sunshine Ladies Tour is set to be the best yet as Investec introduces the Investec Homegrown Award. The award will see a South African winner of the Investec South African Women’s Open take home an additional R100 000. https://t.co/fjLHxg9827 pic.twitter.com/9Rvke3Edo6
One of the Investec sponsored players on the tour Stacy Bregman said despite the shortened tour, there is so much at stake.
She and her stablemates Nicole Garcia and Lejan Lewthwaite are raring to go.
“It is another incredible incentive by the sponsors, and I speak on behalf of all the pros when I say that we are extremely grateful," said Bregman, the 2018 Sunshine Women’s Tour Order of Merit winner.
“On a personal note, I have worked hard throughout the offseason and lockdown.
“Now there is a lot of money at stake when factoring in the Investec Order of Merit, tournament wins and now the Investec Homegrown Award on offer at the final tournament.
“All these contribute towards a hugely competitive circuit which helps to grow our game and golfers.
“We cannot wait to tee-off.”