Keenan Davidse leads chase to Investec Order of Merit rewards

As the Sunshine Tour heads into its final five tournaments of the 2017-18 season, Keenan Davidse has strengthened his position at the top of the Gary Player Class Investec Order of Merit and leads the chase for a range of incentives on offer.

The top two golfers from the Gary Player Class Investec Order of Merit at the end of this season will be given every opportunity to further their careers through sponsorships by Investec Property and Parsons Xtreme Golf (PXG) as part of their commitment to the Sunshine Tour’s main development squad for historically disadvantaged professionals.

Investec Property has confirmed a R250 000 sponsorship for the top-ranked golfer on the Investec Order of Merit at the end of the season, and R150 000 for the second-placed golfer. These two golfers will also become recognised as Investec-sponsored players.

And now Parsons Xtreme Golf (PXG), the global golf equipment company that sponsors Charl Schwartzel amongst several other leading professionals, has confirmed that it will provide an equipment sponsorship for the top two finishers on the Investec Order of Merit at the end of the season as a further commitment to the development of South African professional golf.

Davidse and Makhetha Mazibuko currently occupy the top two positions respectively on the Investec Order of Merit. Davidse finished 43^rd in the Eye of Africa PGA Championship this past weekend and in what is his most successful season as a professional in which he’s had five top-10s. Mazibuko finished 59^th in the Eye of Africa PGA Championship.

The two golfers will be hoping to remain there over the next five tournaments to the end of the season, including this week’s R5.05-million Dimension Data Pro-Am at Fancourt followed by the R1.5-million Cape Town Open, the R15-million Tshwane Open, the R1-million Steyn City Team Championship, and the R1.5-million season-ending Tour Championship.

The Gary Player Class also benefits from the longstanding support of the South African Golf Development Board (SAGDB), founded in 1999 by Johann Rupert as the official body for golf development in South Africa, as well as the Ernie Els and Fancourt Foundation (EEFF) in the collective effort to use golf to improve the lives of disadvantaged South Africans.