New event added to Sunshine Tour

The Sunshine Tour has launched the inaugural Fortress Invitational, a new golf tournament set to be played at Ebotse Links in Johannesburg from 7-9 October. 

The tournament, which is sponsored by Fortress Real Estate - who specialise in the logistics and retail property sector, was launched in Johannesburg on Tuesday.

It will see 120 professional golfers compete for a purse of R1.5 million over the course of three days, with a quality field of youth and experience expected to participate.

Among those earmarked for the event are Albert Venter, Dylan Mostert, Herman Loubser, Anthony Michael and Jayden Schaper, to mention a few.

"It's always a great day when we can add a new tournament to the Sunshine Tour schedule and it just shows that golf is growing at a rapid rate," Sunshine Tour marketing manager Mcebisi Mtshali told SABC Sport.

"It shows that more partners in the corporate space are willing and wanting to come on board because they see golf as a vehicle that can help them achieve their strategic goals.

"So, it's a fantastic occasion, we're really blessed as the Sunshine Tour to have Fortress come on [board] as a partner and we're hoping for many more to come on board to help grow the game of golf in South Africa."

Golf is known to be an expensive sport and one that is difficult for aspiring golfers from disadvantaged areas with limited or no access to get involved, but Mtshali says they are working on a few initiatives to make the sport more inclusive at the grassroots level.

"It is a very expensive sport and there are initiatives we're launching at the professional level at this point in time, to try and get more representation in the sport of golf," he added.

"I do know that, through our partners, Golf RSA and the South African Golf Development Board, they are putting in initiatives to try and make golf more inclusive at the grassroots level.

"They are out there performing clinics and using our Sunshine Tour professionals to teach these youngsters and give them an opportunity to get exposed to this sport, and we do have donation brands where professionals and amateurs can give away old equipment that can be used at school level and communities with no access.

"It is a long road but it is definitely one in which steps will be taken by the Sunshine Tour and our partners to try and make golf a more inclusive sport going forward."

By Charles Baloyi