The next evolution in the growth of South African women’s golf will play itself out on the Sunshine Tour this week when seven women professionals tee it up in the Vodacom Origins of Golf tournament at Sishen Golf Club from Thursday to Sunday as part of a pathway to their own international careers in the game.
Building on the success last season of having Sunshine Ladies Tour professionals competing with their Sunshine Tour counterparts on the Vodacom Origins of Golf series, the women professionals are not only competing for the same prizemoney but also for greater opportunities in the global game.
The Sunshine Ladies Tour professionals will have their own Order of Merit on the four-tournament Vodacom Origins of Golf series, with the winner receiving a cash bonus, automatic entrance into the 2025 Joburg Ladies Open if not already exempt and which is co-sanctioned with the Ladies European Tour (LET), and three tournament invites to play on the Ladies European Tour’s Access Series.
The Access Series is the LET’s official development tour based in Europe. The top six on the Order of Merit there at the end of their season secure their playing privileges on the LET, while positions seven to 20 are exempt into the final stage of the LET’s Qualifying School.
It’s an incredible opportunity for South Africa’s rising women professionals, and another powerful example of the global pathways the Sunshine Tour and Sunshine Ladies Tour have worked to secure for local professionals.
“We started last year with our effort to bring more women into the game to give them more tournament opportunities to showcase their talents,” said Dr Ntombi Mhangwani, the Executive Head of Vodacom Business Marketing. “We’re focused on how we can partner with them to get them where they want to be in their golf careers. The Sunshine Tour has played a central role in pulling all the sponsors together and the whole ecosystem must work together to make this succeed,” said Mhangwani.
Gabrielle Venter, one of the rising stars on the Sunshine Ladies Tour who is competing in the Vodacom Origins of Golf in Kathu this week, said the added incentives are a major drawcard for her.
“The incentives definitely made up my mind to play the series. Gaining an Access Series invitation is a big thing because it gives you a chance to play in Europe and get experience over there, and the Joburg Ladies Open is a Ladies European Tour event so there are a lot of world ranking points on offer there.”