Players Championship confirm exciting new partnerships

The South African Golf Association (SAGA) and GolfRSA is delighted to announce a new and exciting collaboration with multinational professional services network PricewaterhouseCoopers as the main sponsor and leading South African automotive retail company Super Group Dealerships as a supporting sponsor of the prestigious Senior Players Championship in 2018.

“Golf and business go hand in hand and PricewaterhouseCoopers and Super Group are highly reputable partners,” said SAGA president Geoff Taylor. “Both companies are a perfect fit for this very prestigious, limited field championship and we could not have asked for better partners to help us grow the senior game in South Africa.”

“The Senior Players Championship launched in 2012. Business entrepreneur Philip Viljoen approached SAGA with the vision of hosting a unique tournament that would reward the top 50 ranked senior amateur golfers at the end of each season. He sourced the funding himself and the first edition was played at Pecanwood Country Club in 2012. In 2013, the event moved to its permanent home at Sun City.

“With its limited field format, the Senior Players Championship has become one of the most sought-after ticket in senior amateur golf. We believe the support of PricewaterhouseCoopers and Super Group will further elevate the status of this championship.”

The first edition was won by Philip Bierman, while the champions over the past five years include Peter van Coller, Lynton Beckett, Morgan Phillips, Ben Kleynhans and 2017 winner Andre van Dyk.

Van Dyk’s success at the Gary Player Country Club came with a healthy boost in the senior amateur rankings and, having maintained his top five standing through the season, he was selected to the SA Seniors Team. The Boland senior made his international debut for South Africa in the Fellowship Cup Test against India at Leopard Creek last month.

GolfRSA CEO Grant Hepburn, who hosted the Indian Golf Union at Leopard Creek, welcomed the commitment from PricewaterhouseCoopers and Super Group.

“Participation in the Senior Players Championship is by qualification only, hence this event promotes and encourages a strong, highly competitive senior amateur circuit,” Hepburn said.

“It is fantastic that James du Preez from PricewaterhouseCoopers and Graeme Watson from Super Group – both competitors on the senior amateur circuit – recognized the value of this event and campaigned to sponsor the Senior Players Championship. The support of these two influential partners will most certainly elevate the status of this event even further.”

Du Preez, Client and Market Development leader Africa at PricewaterhouseCoopers South Africa, said the senior amateur circuit is a good fit for the company.

“We are excited to extend our global golf sponsorship to include the Senior Players Championship,” Du Preez said. “Sport sponsorship plays a huge role in our overall marketing strategy. Through our sponsorships we connect with our stakeholders.

“The core values that underpin the game of golf are aligned with our own, most notably that of respect, integrity and excellence. This partnership gives us the opportunity to engage with the seniors and create leverage in this market segment, while we actively contribute by promoting a stronger, more competitive senior amateur circuit.”

Super Group CEO Automotive Graeme Watson said the Senior Players Championship represents a first national golf sponsorship for the Super Group.

“This is a very exciting opportunity for us,” said the former SA Mid-Amateur Stroke Play champion and former national player.

“We have enjoyed strong support for our business from senior golfers in general over the past few years and this is a nice opportunity to give something back in return. We like the Senior Players Championship concept and the venue is superb.”

“Our partnership with this prestigious event not only provides us with an opportunity to promote our business among the senior competitors, but also across the entire amateur golf spectrum.”

The cut-off date for the 2018 Players Championship at the Gary Player Country Club from 10-11 February is 30 November 2017.