Historical inaugural Africa Amateur Championship kicks off at Leopard Creek
The four-day championship hosted at Leopard Creek was also attended by business magnate Johann Rupert, who is also considered to be the driving force behind this event.
The first Africa Amateur Championship has kicked off at Leopard Creek on Wednesday February 21 and will run until Saturday February 24.
This four-day golf championship features 72 men competing in a 72-hole stroke play format with the winner receiving an exemption in the 152nd Open at Royal Troon, the Amateur Championship, the Alfred Dunhill Championship and the Waterfall City Tournament of Champions, providing life-changing opportunities for the eventual champion.
“Until this historic week at Leopard Creek, only the winners of the Amateur Championship in the United Kingdom, the United States of America Amateur Championship, the European Amateur Championship and the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship qualified to tee it up in the world’s oldest major. The only way African golfers could secure a spot in the Open was by competing in one of the Amateur Championships or in the Open Qualifying series. With three South Africans triumphant in The Amateur Championship – Jovan Rebula (2018), Aldrich Potgieter (2022) and Christo Lamprecht (2023) – in the last six years, and due to the incredible surge in golf development on the continent, it is so fitting that Africa finally has its own qualifier,” said Phil Anderton, chief development officer at the Royal & Ancient.
ALSO READ: 100km race in 25 hours for Tswale the elephant
The opening of this historical tournament was also attended by Johann Rupert, who was the driving force behind the inception of this event.
“It has been awe-inspiring to see the growth and recognition of golf in Africa in the last five years, and events like these undoubtedly contribute to its continued development and success. We want to replicate the success we’ve achieved in Asia-Pacific and Latin America, where our international events for both men and women have become proven platforms for discovering future stars of the sport. A number of these talented golfers have gone on to become major champions and be successful on the professional tours, inspiring others to pursue their ambitions in golf. We are thankful for the fantastic support we have received from Johann Rupert, who is a committed and passionate partner, in staging these events at the wonderful Leopard Creek and we look forward to seeing who emerges from the field to etch their names into history as the first winners of these events,” Anderton added.
ALSO READ: Mpumalanga EFF vows to look for any irregularities in intake of provincial trainee nurses
The week will also see 20 elite women’s amateur golfers compete over 54 holes in the first playing of the Africa Amateur Women’s Invitational.
The winner will earn starts in the Women’s Amateur Championship, Final Qualifying for the AIG Women’s Open and the Investec South African Women’s Open in 2024, and the Lalla Meryem Cup and Magical Kenya Ladies Open in 2025.
