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Golf | 23 Feb 2018 | By Michael Vlismas

Upcoming Tshwane Open Tournament

Solly Msimanga

The City of Tshwane, Sunshine Tour and European Tour are proud to announce the hosting of the prestigious Tshwane Open from March 1 - 4 at the magnificent Pretoria Country Club in Waterkloof.

The flagship sports event of the City of Champions, taking place under the theme “It’s more than just Golf”, presents the capital city with the opportunity to show off our beautiful cosmopolitan city to the world.

The Tshwane Open forms part of the 2018 Sunshine Tour and is co-sanctioned with the European Tour. It is one of the tournaments that gives players the chance to gain Sunshine Tour Order of Merit points, European Race to Dubai points and sought-after world ranking points.

Our tournament has already made a name for itself, helping to establish South Africa as one of the most successful hosts of European Tour events globally.

Not only do we play host to the 156 players and their families, we also welcome the fans who provide the warm and welcoming atmosphere to the event.

We also welcome the media – both international and local – who play an integral role in promoting not just the tournament, but also showcasing our city.

During the event Tshwane, as the host city, gains an international reputation through the four-day live television coverage via SuperSport and its global partners. What this means in reality is that the television feed is distributed to 41 broadcasters in 150 countries and has the potential to reach almost 500 million households.

The Executive Mayor of Tshwane, Cllr Solly Msimanga, who’ll officially tee-off the tournament on the morning of Thursday March 1, said: “We are thrilled as the capital city to be hosting a world-class tournament of this magnitude and we’re looking forward to the economic spin-offs to be generated through this tournament, which would go a long way towards creating job opportunities for the poverty-stricken and unemployed people of Tshwane”.

Sunshine Tour CEO Selwyn Nathan is equally pleased with the growing success of the tournament: “Last year the Tshwane Open reached almost 460 million households around the world and the global broadcast hours totaled 2 263. This translates into global media coverage valued at $US98.6 million or more than R1 billion. We’re confident that the 2018 viewership figures will surpass the previous year’s”.

Our 2018 Tshwane Open would not be possible without the generous support from our sponsors:

  • Sunshine Tour
  • European Tour
  • TicketPro
  • The Pro Shop
  • Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa
  • ABSA
  • Gauteng Provincial Government
  • MaxProf
  • Avis
  • PrimeMedia Outdoor
  • Jacaranda FM

The City of Tshwane and Sunshine Tour are looking forward to the 2018 Tshwane Open and are determined to show off all the elements that make our city a City of Champions, and a city that “ignites excellence”. And we invite all of you to join us!

JUNIOR TOURNAMENT

Our second Tshwane Open Junior Tournament is coming up on Sunday 25 February at the Irene Country Club.

This is an important initiative in supporting golf development in the country. Entrance is free so everyone will be able to come over and watch our future champions in action. Tee-off is at 11am.

LADIES TSHWANE OPEN

The 2018 Tshwane Open season kicked off in fine style with the Canon Ladies Tshwane Open held at the Pretoria Country Club from 23-25 January 2018.

With a purse of R400 000, the tournament is in keeping with the City of Tshwane’s drive to support women empowerment.

The Canon Ladies Tshwane Open provides an opportunity for the country’s top women golfers to showcase their talent and become role models for young players. It is also a platform to nurture and develop amateur talent.

The 2018 tournament was won by South Africa's Stacy Bregman.

CHAMPIONS BREAKFAST

In keeping with our reputation to be a “City of Champions”, we will be hosting a Breakfast of Champions during the Tshwane Open on 2 March at the Pretoria Country Club.

This year, Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter and World Cup winner and former Springbok captain Victor Matfield will share their inspirational stories and insights into what makes a champion.

JACARANDA BEAT THE BEST PRO

A total of 10 amateurs will have the opportunity to play against the professional golfers in the Jacaranda Beat the Best Pro competition to be held on Day 3 of the 2018 Tshwane Open, and on the 14th hole at the Pretoria Country Club.

NIGHT MARKET

The 2018 Tshwane Open will be adding spice to the golfing action with a night market showcasing local art, craft, design, food, music and family entertainment. The night market will take place from Friday 2 March to Sunday 4 March. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday there will be live music after the last round has been completed.