By Michael Vlismas.
Telkom will be the new official sponsor of the South African PGA Championship, reinstating one of the most iconic sponsorships in the history of South Africa’s second-oldest professional tournament.
This new era of the Telkom PGA Championship will tee off at Country Club Johannesburg from 5-8 November, with a prize fund of R2.5 million and a celebration of a championship that has a list of former champions including Major winners and world number ones such as Gary Player, Ernie Els, Nick Price and Louis Oosthuizen.
The renewed association of South Africa’s leading technology and information services provider with this premier Sunshine Tour event follows their longstanding commitment to South African golf, which includes their sponsorship of the championship from 2002 to 2014.
This period covered some of the most memorable moments in the championship’s illustrious history, including Louis Oosthuizen’s record 14-stroke victory in 2008 at Country Club Johannesburg and where he became only the fourth golfer in history to successfully defend his title.
“Golf has a unique ability to bring people together, connect communities and create opportunities that extend far beyond the course. Our return as title sponsor of the Telkom PGA Championship reflects our continued commitment to South African golf and our belief in the power of sport to inspire progress and unlock possibility. Through this partnership, we want to connect with more people, celebrate the talent that makes our country exceptional, and create meaningful experiences for golf fans, players and communities. As Telkom, we believe that ‘Possible begins here’, and this championship provides an exciting platform to bring that belief to life, connecting people to the game, to one another and to new possibilities,” says Gugu Mthembu, Chief Marketing Officer, Telkom.
As the flagship championship of the PGA of South Africa, the Telkom PGA Championship represents the best of the Sunshine Tour professionals competing with the PGA-certified professionals who work at the heart of the game at golf clubs and within the golf industry around the country.
“It is tremendously exciting to welcome Telkom back as the title sponsor of the PGA Championship. There is a real sense of coming full circle as we renew this valued partnership and return to the iconic fairways of The Country Club Johannesburg. We sincerely thank Telkom and the Sunshine Tour for their ongoing support of one of South Africa’s most prestigious professional tournaments and for helping us further our mission of touching lives through the game of golf,” said Dietrich Uys, Chief Executive of the PGA of South Africa.
Through over 60 years, the Telkom PGA Championship has established itself as one of the major trophies on the Sunshine Tour. It has also been instrumental in the growth of the Sunshine Tour’s international calendar, with the championship being the first tournament to ever be co-sanctioned by the Sunshine Tour and DP World Tour.
“This is such a defining moment for us as the Sunshine Tour to welcome back Telkom as the title sponsor of the Telkom PGA Championship. Telkom and the South African PGA Championship have a proud history together, and it’s extremely exciting to announce a new chapter in this history as we look to build on their 13 years of passionate support of this event with a new vision now for its future,” said Thomas Abt, Commissioner of the Sunshine Tour.