Aspiring golfers can see golf legends Ernie Els and Retief Goosen compete with defending champion James Kingston, Lee Westwood, Darren Clarke, Rory McIlroy, Trevor Immelman and reigning European Tour Order of Merit Champion Justin Rose for the second oldest national Open Championship in golf, which will carry a total minimum prize fund of €1 million this year.
David Spencer, Leisurecorp CEO – Golf, the owners of Pearl Valley Golf Estates, said:
"One of our goals this year is to make the event more appealing to a younger audience and by giving free entrance to children and teenagers, we will give youngsters interested in the game the opportunity to come to Pearl Valley Golf Estates and watch their heroes in action."
"The explosion of the game in recent times has been fuelled by the "Baby Boomers" and golf needs to make sure that it balances the needs of the next generations. I think the professional game is gaining more vibrancy and I believe that the young stars playing at this year’s SA open like Rory Mcllroy, alongside local talents Anton Haig, Charl Schwartzel, and Richard Sterne will assist greatly in spreading the golf message to future champions of the game."
For any additional information visit the new website at www.southafricanopen.com. All proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to the Pebbles Project. Tickets are available from Computicket or at the venue.
SOUTH AFRICAN OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP DETAILS
The South African Open Championship takes place at Pearl Valley Golf Estates from 18-21 December 2008. The illustrious field at this year's event includes Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, defending champion James Kingston, Master's champion Trevor Immelman, Lee Westwood, Darren Clarke, Rory McIlroy and reigning European Tour Order of Merit Champion Justin Rose, who have all confirmed that they will compete for the second oldest national Open Championship in golf, which will carry a total minimum prize fund of €1 million this year.
For more information on the Pebbles Project visit www.pebblesproject.co.za. For any additional information visit www.southafricanopen.com.
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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.
