South Africa’s leading lights are tipped to shine brightly as they attempt to follow in the footsteps of Bobby Locke, Gary Player, Ernie Els and Retief Goosen in pursuit of the 102nd South African Open Championship title this November.
Top international golfers will join South Africa’s rising stars when the country’s flagship event tees off for a second successive year at the Jack Nicklaus signature course at Serengeti Golf and Wildlife Estate in Ekurhuleni.
TOURNAMENT DATES
Tournament - Thursday, 15 to Sunday, 18 November 2012.
DEFENDING CHAMPION
Hennie Otto of South Africa.
PRIZE FUND
€1 million
FIELD SIZE
156 professionals and amateurs.
TEE TIMES:
The first tee-off times in rounds one and two will be at 6:30am.
TOURNAMENT FORMAT
The competition will be decided over 72 holes of stroke play. All contestants participate in the first two rounds. On conclusion of the second round there will be a cut to the 65th-placed professional and those tying. In the event of a tie for first place, there will be a sudden-death playoff on holes to be determined by the Tournament Director.
SANCTIONING BODIES
The South African Golf Association, the Sunshine Tour and The European PGA Tour.
VENUE INFORMATION
TEL: 011 552 7200 - EMAIL: clubreception@serengeti.co.za.
GPS Coordinates: S 26° 02’ 08” and E 28° 16’ 53”.
For directions, please view http://www.serengeti.co.za/contact-us/
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Serengeti Golf and Wildlife Estate will host the South African Open Championship in 2011 and 2012. The Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course at Serengeti is the first 27-hole golf course in Gauteng and was recently named “Best New Golf Course” by Golf Digest.
The 18-hole course called Masai Mara, which means “wide open plains” in the language of the Masai, has a rugged grassland and dune-scape look. One of the unique features on the course is the par-five eighth hole with its island green. The nine-hole course called Whistling Thorn has a more classic feel.
The courses were constructed in accordance with USGA specifications, with cool season grass that provides green vistas all year round. Designed as a strategic and technical masterpiece that will test today’s best players, the sunken design of the course with its wide corridors is ideal for tournament purposes and provides optimal spectator value on almost every hole.
