Sanlam Cancer Challenge will celebrate its 21st anniversary as South Africa’s biggest charity golf tournament when the national finals of the 2013 edition are played at Sun City from October 21 to 22.
Over 36 000 golfers took part in this year’s Sanlam Cancer Challenge, including 801 nationwide club competitions that teed off in February as part of the drive to raise funds for the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA).
The leading golfers who qualified through their regional finals in their respective A, B and C Divisions will contest the national finals on both the golf courses of the Gary Player Country Club and Lost City Golf Course.
With Ernie Els as the patron of the event, this year’s competition has aimed to raise R3.2 million for CANSA. “We’ve had incredible support from golf clubs around South Africa and in Namibia, so I’m sure we’ll reach that target,” said Sanlam Sponsorship Manager Gary van Loggerenberg.
Of the 441 golf clubs that took part, the smaller golf clubs were the standout performers in terms of funds raised this year. Clubs such as Koffiefontein, Matatiele, Kambuka, Hartswater, Springbok, Tweefontein, Jagersfontein and others upstaged some of the biggest golf clubs in South Africa with the funds they managed to raise.
Sishen Golf Club in the Northern Cape finished as the top club in South Africa with a total of R72 700 raised. Mogol Golf Club in Limpopo was next best with R43 507. Several of the country’s nine-hole courses also impressed as their small memberships made for big contributions, including the Northern Cape’s Ulco Golf Club which managed to raise R26 820, Beaufort West Golf Club with R25 021 and Prince Albert Golf Club with R22 000.
Even the Gansbaai Golf Club weighed in with one of its biggest Saturday fields in recent history as 42 golfers took to the fairways at a club that boasts a total active membership of only 30.
For more information go to www.sanlamcancerchallenge.co.za
