The Sunshine Tour is a men's professional golf tour based in Southern and East Africa. For much of its early history it was known either as the Southern Africa Tour or Sunshine Circuit; through sponsorship deals, it has also been known as the Vodacom Tour and the FNB Tour. For the 2000–01 season the tour rebranded itself as the Sunshine Tour in an attempt to broaden its appeal. A large majority of the tour events are still staged in South Africa.
The tour is one of the six leading men's tours which before 2009 made up the membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, but it offers much less prize money than some of the leading tours, and leading Southern African golfers traditionally prefer to play on the PGA Tour or the European Tour if they can qualify to do so, typically returning to play in Sunshine Tour events a couple of times a year.
Most of the tour's leading official money events, including the South African Open, are co-sanctioned with the European Tour to attract stronger fields. The 2015 season included 27 official money events. The co-sanctioned events had purses ranging from €1,000,000 to US$6,500,000, while the other 21 events had purses designated in South African Rand and ranging from 650,000 rand to 4.5 million rand. There was at least one tournament every month of the year except July, but the main events took place in the South African summer from November to February.
In 2016, the Sunshine Tour announced an affiliation with the MENA Golf Tour, allowing the top five MENA Tour players Sunshine Tour cards and those 6th-15th into the final stage of Q School. A number of events would also be co-sanctioned among the Sunshine Tour, MENA Tour, and developmental Big Easy Tour.[2]
In May 2022, it was announced that the Order of Merit would be reformatted for the 2022–23 season. It was sponsored by Luno, a cryptocurrency platform. The rankings changed to a points-based system, rather than being decided on money earned. Points earned are based on tournament prize money which are split into five tiers. The leader of the OoM will receive R 500,000; paid in Bitcoin.[3]
The Sunshine Tour consists of two distinct parts, commonly referred to as the "Summer Swing" and "Winter Swing". Tournaments held during the Summer Swing generally have much higher prize funds and attract stronger fields, held after the major tours in North America and Europe have finished their seasons. The Winter Swing runs from March to November, dividing the Summer Swing in two.
Tournament prize funds do not count directly towards the Order of Merit. The richest events on the tour are those that are co-sanctioned with the European Tour.
^Schedules have also included events in Botswana, eSwatini, Kenya, Mauritius, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Referencesedit
^. Sunshine Tour. 22 May 2006. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 1 December 2009.
^. Official World Golf Ranking. 15 April 2016. Archived from the original on 17 April 2016. Retrieved 12 June 2023. Following a recent announcement that the top 5 players on the final 2016 MENA Golf Tour Order of Merit will earn full playing privileges on the Sunshine Tour in South Africa, as well as the MENA Golf Tour receiving 10 exemptions into the Sunshine Tour Final Stage of Qualifying School and 3 Tri Sanctioned Tournaments with the MENA Golf Tour, Sunshine Tour and the Big Easy Tour…
^"Sunshine Tour announces new Luno Order of Merit". Compleat Golfer. 5 May 2022. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
^Berkovitz, Anton; Samson, Andrew (1993). South Africa and international sports factfinder. D. Nelson. p. 96. ISBN1868061019. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
External linksedit
Official website
December 18, 2023
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The Sunshine Tour is a men s professional golf tour based in Southern and East Africa For much of its early history it was known either as the Southern Africa Tour or Sunshine Circuit through sponsorship deals it has also been known as the Vodacom Tour and the FNB Tour For the 2000 01 season the tour rebranded itself as the Sunshine Tour in an attempt to broaden its appeal A large majority of the tour events are still staged in South Africa Sunshine TourCurrent season competition or edition 2023 24 Sunshine TourFormerlySunshine CircuitSouth African TourSouthern Africa TourVodacom TourFNB TourSportGolfFounded1971 rebranded as the Sunshine Tour in 2000 CommissionerThomas AbtCountriesBased in South Africa a Most titlesOrder of Merit titles Mark McNulty 8 Tournament wins Mark McNulty 33 TV partner s SuperSportRelatedcompetitionsBig Easy TourOfficial websitehttp www sunshinetour comThe tour is one of the six leading men s tours which before 2009 made up the membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours but it offers much less prize money than some of the leading tours and leading Southern African golfers traditionally prefer to play on the PGA Tour or the European Tour if they can qualify to do so typically returning to play in Sunshine Tour events a couple of times a year Most of the tour s leading official money events including the South African Open are co sanctioned with the European Tour to attract stronger fields The 2015 season included 27 official money events The co sanctioned events had purses ranging from 1 000 000 to US 6 500 000 while the other 21 events had purses designated in South African Rand and ranging from 650 000 rand to 4 5 million rand There was at least one tournament every month of the year except July but the main events took place in the South African summer from November to February The tour has been open to non White players since 1991 Five black golfers have won events South Africa s John Mashego at the 1991 Bushveld Classic South Africa s Lindani Ndwandwe at the 2001 Western Cape Classic and 2009 Highveld Classic Zimbabwe s Tongoona Charamba at the 2006 SAA Pro Am Invitational 1 and 2008 MTC Namibia PGA Championship Zambia s Madalitso Muthiya at the 2016 Vodacom Origins of Golf Wild Coast and South Africa s Toto Thimba Jr at the 2019 KCB Karen Masters In 2016 the Sunshine Tour announced an affiliation with the MENA Golf Tour allowing the top five MENA Tour players Sunshine Tour cards and those 6th 15th into the final stage of Q School A number of events would also be co sanctioned among the Sunshine Tour MENA Tour and developmental Big Easy Tour 2 In May 2022 it was announced that the Order of Merit would be reformatted for the 2022 23 season It was sponsored by Luno a cryptocurrency platform The rankings changed to a points based system rather than being decided on money earned Points earned are based on tournament prize money which are split into five tiers The leader of the OoM will receive R 500 000 paid in Bitcoin 3 Contents 1 Schedule 2 Order of Merit winners 3 Awards 4 Notes 5 References 6 External linksSchedule editMain article 2023 24 Sunshine Tour The Sunshine Tour consists of two distinct parts commonly referred to as the Summer Swing and Winter Swing Tournaments held during the Summer Swing generally have much higher prize funds and attract stronger fields held after the major tours in North America and Europe have finished their seasons The Winter Swing runs from March to November dividing the Summer Swing in two Tournament prize funds do not count directly towards the Order of Merit The richest events on the tour are those that are co sanctioned with the European Tour Order of Merit winners editSeason Winner Points2022 23 nbsp Ockie Strydom 3 336Season Winner Prize money R 2021 22 nbsp Shaun Norris 4 890 9942020 21 nbsp Christiaan Bezuidenhout 7 789 0882019 20 nbsp J C Ritchie 2 162 3872018 19 nbsp Zander Lombard 2 119 9852017 18 nbsp George Coetzee 2 2 937 2262016 17 nbsp Brandon Stone 7 384 8892015 nbsp George Coetzee 5 470 6842014 nbsp Thomas Aiken 4 057 6422013 nbsp Dawie van der Walt 5 094 3332012 nbsp Branden Grace 2 760 3192011 nbsp Garth Mulroy 3 464 4632010 nbsp Charl Schwartzel 4 5 097 9142009 nbsp Anders Hansen 4 286 0382008 nbsp Richard Sterne 5 599 2652007 nbsp James Kingston 1 980 6892006 07 nbsp Charl Schwartzel 3 1 585 1172005 06 nbsp Charl Schwartzel 2 1 207 4602004 05 nbsp Charl Schwartzel 1 635 8502003 04 nbsp Darren Fichardt 2 726 5452002 03 nbsp Trevor Immelman 2 044 2802001 02 nbsp Tim Clark 1 669 9012000 01 nbsp Mark McNulty 8 1 603 4811999 2000 nbsp Darren Fichardt 558 7351998 99 nbsp David Frost 1 189 7621997 98 nbsp Mark McNulty 7 589 0531996 97 nbsp Nick Price 2 1 223 0271995 96 nbsp Wayne Westner 709 3891994 95 nbsp Ernie Els 2 460 4881993 94 nbsp Tony Johnstone 2 297 3591992 93 nbsp Mark McNulty 6 250 0791991 92 nbsp Ernie Els 324 0171990 91 nbsp John Bland 4 333 6251989 90 nbsp John Bland 3 180 8931988 89 nbsp Tony Johnstone 254 9511987 88 nbsp John Bland 2 143 3011986 87 nbsp Mark McNulty 5 134 6901985 86 nbsp Mark McNulty 4 113 5271984 85 nbsp Mark McNulty 3 57 7501983 84 nbsp Gavan Levenson 43 9401982 83 nbsp Nick Price 31 9861981 82 nbsp Mark McNulty 2 67 0541980 81 nbsp Mark McNulty 50 1921979 80 nbsp Gary Player 49 6801978 79 nbsp Hugh Baiocchi 19 8041977 78 nbsp John Bland 25 1711976 77 nbsp Dale Hayes 2 17 7501975 76 nbsp Allan Henning 2 18 2761974 75 nbsp Allan Henning Pointsbasedsystem1973 74 nbsp John Fourie1972 73 nbsp Dale Hayes1971 72 nbsp Tienie BritzSource 1971 72 to 1992 93 4 Awards editSeason Players Player of the Year Rookie of the Year2022 23 No award nbsp Casey Jarvis2021 22 nbsp Jayden Schaper 2 2020 21 nbsp Jayden Schaper2019 20 nbsp Garrick Higgo2018 19 nbsp Benjamin Follett Smith2017 18 nbsp Oliver Bekker nbsp Neil O Briain2016 17 Unknown nbsp Christiaan Bezuidenhout2015 nbsp Dean Burmester nbsp Rourke van der Spuy2014 Unknown nbsp Haydn Porteous2013 nbsp Darren Fichardt nbsp Dylan Frittelli2012 nbsp Trevor Fisher Jnr nbsp Daniel van Tonder2011 nbsp Jean Hugo nbsp Allan Versfeld2010 nbsp Jaco van Zyl nbsp Anthony Michael2009 Unknown nbsp Graham DeLaet2008 nbsp Louis Moolman2007 nbsp Ross McGowan2006 07 nbsp Rossouw Loubser2005 06 Unknown2004 05 nbsp Garry Houston2003 04 nbsp Johan Edfors2002 03 nbsp Charl Schwartzel2001 02 nbsp Nicholas Lawrence2000 01 nbsp Trevor Immelman1999 2000 nbsp Jean HugoNotes edit Schedules have also included events in Botswana eSwatini Kenya Mauritius Namibia Zambia and Zimbabwe References edit Charamba rewrites history at SAA Pro Am Invitational Sunshine Tour 22 May 2006 Archived from the original on 30 September 2007 Retrieved 1 December 2009 OWGR Board Announcement Official World Golf Ranking 15 April 2016 Archived from the original on 17 April 2016 Retrieved 12 June 2023 Following a recent announcement that the top 5 players on the final 2016 MENA Golf Tour Order of Merit will earn full playing privileges on the Sunshine Tour in South Africa as well as the MENA Golf Tour receiving 10 exemptions into the Sunshine Tour Final Stage of Qualifying School and 3 Tri Sanctioned Tournaments with the MENA Golf Tour Sunshine Tour and the Big Easy Tour Sunshine Tour announces new Luno Order of Merit Compleat Golfer 5 May 2022 Retrieved 9 September 2023 Berkovitz Anton Samson Andrew 1993 South Africa and international sports factfinder D Nelson p 96 ISBN 1868061019 Retrieved 13 September 2023 External links editOfficial website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sunshine Tour amp oldid 1189596525, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
