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Takudzwa Chitsiga Sports Reporter

LOCAL professional golfers, who have been trying their luck on the Sunshine Tour, will have something to smile about after the announcement of two more tournaments which will be sanctioned by the European Tour.

The Sunshine Tour yesterday announced two new tournaments, the Pecanwood Classic and Steyn City Championship, which will begin next season.

The Pecanwood Classic will be staged at the Pecanwood Golf and Country Club, from March 10-13.

Several Zimbabwean professional golfers will be expected to take this opportunity to challenge for an European Tour card.

Players like Ben Follet-Smith, Scott Vincent, Mark Williams, brothers Mahammad and Kyaam Mandhu and Greg Bentley rarely miss matches on the tour.

The new tournament will feature a prize fund of US$1.5 million and the field of 156 professionals will be split between Sunshine Tour, and European Tour golfers, competing at South Africa’s first Jack Nicklaus signature golf course.

The European Tour co-sanctioned tournaments, on the Sunshine Tour, include the Tswane Open, Joburg Open and the South Africa Open.

“The Pecanwood Classic is part of a short SA leg in 2022 and will be followed by the new co-sanctioned Steyn City Championship from March 17-20 at The Club at Steyn City — another Nicklaus designed golf course.

“This adds to the country’s strong presence on the European Tour’s schedule, with a total of six South African tournaments now co-sanctioned by the Sunshine Tour and European Tour.

“The European Tour’s 2021/22 season kicks off in South Africa with three major tournaments, starting next week at the Joburg Open, at Randpark Golf Club.

“Last month, the Sunshine Tour confirmed that a limited number of 2 000 fully vaccinated spectators will be able to attend the Joburg Open, and the SA Open, in Sun City, from December 3-5.’’