How new Covid variant impacts SA golf’s Summer Swing

The Sunshine Tour and DP World Tour on Friday announced changes to the current Summer Swing of co-sanctioned tournaments in South Africa as a result of the country being placed on the travel red list of several countries following concerns around a new Covid-19 variant, and the effect this will have on the participation of professional golfers.

The Joburg Open, currently being played at Randpark Golf Club, will go ahead as planned and will finish on Sunday as scheduled as a full co-sanctioned tournament between the two tours.

The South African Open Championship, set to be played at the Gary Player Country Club at Sun City from 2-5 December, will also still be played as scheduled.

However, it will go ahead as a solely Sunshine Tour event with a prize fund of US$500,000.

The Alfred Dunhill Championship, which was scheduled to be played at Leopard Creek Country Club from 9-12 December has, after lengthy consultations with Alfred Dunhill, unfortunately been cancelled due to the adverse effect the travel restrictions will have on the field.