THE largest field of golfers will tee off this week to stake their claim at the 10th Joburg Open.
The 10th edition of the Joburg Open will take place at the Royal Kensington and Johannesburg Golf Club from January 14 to 17.
The most popular entrant will obviously attract many golfing fans and that is South Africa’s own legend Ernie Els. He has confirmed his participation at the Joburg Open over the weekend.
Also to tee off will be Eye of Africa resident, Keith Horne, and some amateur golfers who made it through to the Joburg Open to play alongside the professionals.
Some of the famous entries include Brandon Stone the winner of the 2016 SA Open, George Coetzee who secured his maiden European Tour title on home soil at the 2014 Joburg Open, and who currently boasts three European Tour titles in total, Richard Sterne who has won six times on the European Tour, including two Joburg Open Titles, Hennie Otto who has won 12 titles on the Sunshine Tour, and Charl Schwartzel who has 10 European Tour wins including back to back Joburg Open wins in 2010 and 2011.
“We have a very exciting field of players, and I have no doubt that we will see some of the best golf action at the tournament. Preparations are already at a very advanced stage to enable us to deliver yet another outstanding event. The City of Johannesburg departments including Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD), Emergency Services, Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA), Pikitup, Johannesburg Parks and Zoo, Joburg Water, City Power and the Joburg Market have done an excellent job in preparing the City, the surrounding areas and the golf club vicinity for the tournament,” said Bongi Mokaba, the City of Johannesburg’s director of event management.
Local residents and sporting fans, who are visiting Johannesburg at the time, are encouraged to attend the Joburg Open 2016 at the Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club. The entrance fee is R50 a day or R120 for the entire tournament. Pensioners and children under the age of 16 get free entry. Tickets can be purchased online at www.ticketpros.co.za, or from the Welcome Centre at the golf club during the tournament.
The Joburg Open is a 72-hole stroke play championship co-sanctioned by the European Tour and Sunshine Tour. The field comprises 206 professionals. The first two days of the tournament will be played on both the east and west courses at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club, with the final two rounds played solely on the east course. The cut will be to the top 65 and ties. The Joburg Open is one of the official qualifying tournaments for the 2016 Open Championship. The top three players within the top 10 of the Joburg Open not already exempt for the Open will gain entry into the major.
