Veteran Sunshine Tour campaigner, Ruan de Smidt, said the return of the Altron Big Easy Tour to the local golfing scene will not only help with the development of talent but will help experienced players re-establish themselves and regain competitive form.
Altron will sponsor the event for one year.
“This is an exciting time for the players,” said De Smidt ahead of the first event of the revamped Atron Big Easy Tour at Blue Valley Golf Estate in Centurion.
“It is exciting because the tour is run by the Sunshine Tour and that shows you the level of professionalism to expect. This will be a good season for the guys who are trying to get back onto the main tour. This is not about being a development tour but an important step in the right direction for local golf.”
Having welcomed the leading technology company, Altron, as its new title sponsor, the Tour which was established as a developmental circuit will feature ten professional tournaments to be played at venues across Gauteng this season, thereby ensuring more playing opportunities for professional golfers.
Echoing De Smidt, Bloemfontein’s Makhetha Mazibuko said Altron’s investment into the Tour and golf as a sport is no coincidence, given the growth that the Sunshine Tour has seen over the last few years – even against the backdrop of a pandemic.
“This is a good sponsorship for the Tour,” said Makhetha, who is a product of development himself, having gone through the Els and the Fancourt Foundation as a youngster. When you look at the number of tournaments on the main Tour, and the co-sanctioned events, it tells you that there is growth and that’s why it is easy to attract these kinds of sponsors.
“We as players are glad that the Tour is taking care of us this way; bringing us more opportunities to play. We are glad to have Altron on board.”
The Big Easy Tour was founded in 2011 with support from Ernie Els and counts current international star Christiaan Bezuidenhout amongst its former winners.
