MENA Golf Tour members all set for maiden South African safari

DUBAI: The MENA Golf Tour will hit the South African shores next week when the South to East Challenge, the first of a three-event safari co-sanctioned with the Sunshine Big Easy Tour, is played at Zwartkop Golf Club in Centurion, Pretoria, June 7-9.
Marking a significant step forward in giving flight to the careers of its members, the golfing odyssey to the Rainbow Nation will see an exclusive field vie for honors with prize money — R500,000 for each event — counting towards the Orders of Merit of both the tours.
Split equally between the two tours, the field for each event will showcase the top 42 professionals and the leading six amateurs on their respective MENA Golf Tour’s Orders of Merit taking on their counterparts from the Sunshine Big Easy Tour in what promises to be a fantastic golf spectacle for world ranking points.
The new partnership with the Big Easy Tour goes well beyond staging co-sanctioned tournaments as its knock-on effects will see the top five professionals on the MENA Golf Tour’s end-of-season Order of Merit earn playing privileges on the main Sunshine Tour.
In addition, MENA Golf Tour players, ranked between six and 15, will be exempt into the final stage of the Sunshine Tour’s Qualifying School in a move aimed at creating meaningful playing opportunities for players knocking on the doors of stardom.
“Our new tie-up with South African is a great development for golf, one that will resonate on many levels, reinforcing the growing strength of the game in the MENA region,” said Mohamed Juma Buamaim, chairman of the MENA Golf Tour.

“The land of Gary Player and Ernie Els not only has a strong pedigree in golf, but it also boasts some of the best and most beautiful golf courses in the world. I am confident our members will have fun playing there alongside Big Easy Tour players.

“We are really delighted to be adding these three tournaments to the schedule which will provide further playing opportunities for our members,” he added.

Calling it a positive step forward, Grant Wilson, COO of the Sunshine Tour, said: “We look forward to work closely with the MENA Golf Tour to ensure the three-event series is successful.

“We are very excited with our association with the MENA Tour, which, I am confident, will benefit members of both the tour and help further stimulate the growth. It will be a great opportunity for us to promote our country across the globe and showcase our diverse and high quality courses.”

An initiative of the Shaikh Maktoum Golf Foundation, the MENA Golf Tour was created in 2011 with the aim of developing golf in the region. It is affiliated to R&A, the worldwide golf governing body based in the home of golf, St Andrews, and the Arab Golf Federation and enjoys the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) status.

Multiple European Tour starts, including the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, the Hassan II Trophy and the Maybank Championship Malaysia in addition to full playing privileges on the Sunshine Tour and exemptions into the Final Stage of the Asian Tour Q-School for the leading three professionals are some of the added incentives for the MENA Golf Tour members.

MENA Golf Tour itinerary in South Africa:

June 7-9: South to East Challenge at Zwartkop Golf Club Centurion, Pretoria

June 13-15: Jo'burg City Masters at Glendower Golf Club, Gauteng

June 22-24: The Roar at Waterkloof Golf Club, Pretoria