The Alfred Dunhill Championship will take place in the first week of 2017 European Tour International Schedule, returning to Leopard Creek Golf Estate in Malalane from December 1-4, 2016.
Co-sanctioned by both the European and Sunshine Tours, the 2017 edition of the popular four-round tournament, will take place two weeks after the conclusion of the 2016 Race to Dubai at the DP World Tour Championship. In addition to providing playing opportunities for European Tour members and Sunshine Tour members early in the 2017 season, the tournament will see the addition of 15 spots each in the starting line-up being made available to players from both the Asian and Australasian PGA Tours.
Sunshine Tour Executive Director Selwyn Nathan said: “We are extremely grateful to Alfred Dunhill, our longest-serving sponsor on the Sunshine Tour, for confirming its commitment to our Tour. As has become traditional, the tournament will be the first on the 2016/2017 European Tour International Schedule.
Once again, we look forward to welcoming golfers from all around the world to experience this unique event.”
In addition to the 30 professionals from Asia and Australasia, a nine-hole stroke-play tournament is to be played on the Wednesday before the main event on the newly built par-three course at Leopard Creek, where each hole represents some of the best holes from around the world.
This unique pre-tournament event, which itself boasts substantial prize money, will be televised live worldwide and throughout Africa on SuperSport.
Past winners of the Alfred Dunhill Championship include the likes of Major winners Ernie Els and defending champion Charl Schwartzel, who also became one of the youngest-ever winners on the European Tour when he won the 2004 Alfred Dunhill Championship – the first time it was held at the iconic Leopard Creek Golf Estate.
Home favourite Schwartzel won the event in the 2005, 2013 and 2014 seasons, his fourth triumph in 2016 adding to his impressive record, having finished in the top two in eight of his 11 appearances in Malelane with an aggregate score of 122 under par.
