The Tournament of Hope, one of the biggest tournaments in world golf, will tee off in South Africa from 21-24 November 2013.
The contract for the $8.5 million Tournament of Hope has been officially finalized between the International Federation of PGA Tours, event promoter SAIL and the Sunshine Tour, with the tournament secured in South Africa for 10 years.
It will also make for a thrilling close to the 2013 season in South Africa, with the South African Open, the Nelson Mandela Championship and the Alfred Dunhill Championship – all co-sanctioned by the European Tour and Sunshine Tour – following immediately after the Tournament of Hope.
The host course will be announced at a later date. [Here’s hoping it’s The Links]
“The Tournament of Hope had long been agreed to in principal, but now that we have a signed contract with the International Federation of PGA Tours, confirming our 10-year hosting of the event, we can begin our preparations in earnest,” said Michelle van Eyden from SAIL, the Tournament of Hope promoter in collaboration with the Sunshine Tour.
The Tournament of Hope will feature the world’s best players competing for the richest total purse in the history of South African golf, placing it amongst the second tier of richest tournaments in world golf.
It ranks above each of the four Majors in terms of total prize money, and is equal to the total prize money on offer at each of the World Golf Championship tournaments. The Tournament of Hope is second only to the $9.5 million purse offered by The Players Championship.
“The Tournament of Hope field will comprise a maximum of 72 of the world’s top players who will be drawn from the top 50 players on the Official World Golf Ranking, the top eight available players from the European Tour Race to Dubai, the top eight available players from the previous season’s final PGA Tour FedExCup points list, as well as those with eligibility similar to that of the Majors and four existing World Golf Championship events, and supplemented by the individual money lists and Orders of Merit of the various Tours that make up the International Federation of PGA Tours. So we are confident that the world’s leading players will be in South Africa,” said Selwyn Nathan, the Executive Director of the Sunshine Tour.
The Tournament of Hope will be arguably the most significant golf tournament in the global game as it provides the opportunity for the International Federation of PGA Tours (PGA Tour, European Tour, PGA Tour of Australasia, Japan Golf Tour, Asian Tour and Sunshine Tour) to unite in the global battle against the socio-economic issues related to HIV/AIDS, with the tournament contributing financially to this cause.
According to an independent economic impact study conducted by Grant Thornton, R700- million in PR and media value is expected to be generated for the country, province, host city and tournament sponsors by the global television broadcast.
In addition to this, the province that hosts the 2013 Tournament of Hope is expected to benefit from an economic injection of between R530 and R903-million, depending on the geographical location of the host province. This will be generated from local and international spectators, operational spend in the province as well as job creation around a major international event.
“Our vision is to ensure that this tournament becomes globally recognized as one of the top tournaments in the world and successfully positions South Africa to an international audience,” said Brand de Villiers, Chairman of SAIL.
SAIL has a long history in the field of sports, sponsorships and entertainment, and is particularly well positioned in golf as the promoter of European Tour events such as the Alfred Dunhill Championship, and the Joburg Open for three years, as well as the Telkom PGA Championship and several other tournaments on the Sunshine Tour.
“South African golf has long been one of the great success stories in the history of the global game. We now have the opportunity to match the success of our players with the staging of a major tournament that will keep this country at the forefront of international golf, and right in the minds of the almost 100 million television viewers worldwide who will be watching it,” said De Villiers.
About the Tournament of Hope
The Tournament of Hope will be a 72-hole stroke play event with the field comprising of a maximum of 72 of the world’s top players drawn from the top 50 players on the Official World Golf Rankings, the top eight available players from the European Tour Race to Dubai, the top eight available players from the previous season’s final PGA Tour FedExCup points list, as well as those with eligibility similar to that of the Majors and four existing World Golf Championship events, and supplemented by the individual money lists and Orders of Merit of the various Tours that make up the International Federation of PGA Tours (the PGA Tour, European Tour, Sunshine Tour, Japan Golf Tour, PGA Tour of Australasia and Asian Tour).
The tournament will feature a total prize fund of $8.5 million.
On 24 March 2006, the PGA Tour and European Tour – the world’s two biggest professional golf tours – were the first to issue a letter of support for the proposal of the Tournament of Hope. It was immediately agreed upon in principle as “an elite worldwide golf tournament sanctioned by the International Federation of PGA Tours”.
In February 2012, the International Federation of PGA Tours announced that the Southern Africa PGA Tour (Sunshine Tour) and SAIL will stage the Tournament of Hope as an International Federation of PGA Tours event, beginning in 2013, and secured in South Africa for a period of 10 years.
About SAIL
SAIL is Africa’s leader in the field of sports, sponsorships and entertainment, with a wide reach ranging from ownership of teams and stadia to event creation and management, hospitality, rights management, ticketing and public relations.
SAIL is widely recognised as the leading golf promoter in Africa, with a dedicated golf division with vast experience in event creation and management.
On an overall sporting front, SAIL has strong ties with the major sports federations in South Africa, including SA Rugby, the Blue Bulls, Western Province Rugby, Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates, the South African Football Association and Cricket South Africa.
The company has also been the promoter of choice for tours to South Africa by Manchester United, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, and was an official sales partner to Match during the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
About the Sunshine Tour
The Sunshine Tour is a men’s professional golf tour based in Southern Africa. The Sunshine Tour is one of the six leading men’s Tours that make up the founding members of the International Federation of PGA Tours, including the PGA Tour, European Tour, Japan Golf Tour, the Asian Tour and the PGA Tour of Australasia.
