By Sitha Maliwa
The Sunshine Tour’s 2024/25 season is gearing up for an exciting finish with the inaugural The Courier Guy Playoffs Series. Over the next two weeks, the leading professionals will be competing for a massive R5.5 million in prize money, as well as coveted DP World Tour cards and exemptions into major events like The Open, the US PGA Championship, and the Nedbank Golf Challenge.
This week, the series begins with The Serengeti Playoffs at Serengeti Estates, where the top 72 players on the Sunshine Tour’s 2024/25 Order of Merit will compete. It promises to be an intense battle, with top players like Daniel van Tonder, Shaun Norris, and Dylan Naidoo all in the mix. Eight of the top 10 players on the current Order of Merit standings will be part of the field, making it a high-stakes event.
In the following week, the top 50 players will progress to The DNi Tour Championship at Blair Atholl Golf and Equestrian Estate, with no halfway cut, ensuring that only the best remain in contention throughout the tournament.
The stakes are high for these golfers, as the top three finishers in the final standings will be awarded DP World Tour cards, securing their spots on one of the world’s most prestigious golf circuits. Additionally, the first-place finisher will receive not only the DP World Tour card but also exemptions into The Open, US PGA Championship, and the Nedbank Golf Challenge, along with a R500,000 cash bonus. Second and third place will also receive significant bonuses of R200,000 and R100,000, respectively.
As the season winds down, there’s also the Fortress Rookie of the Year race, where the leading rookie will earn a R200,000 cash bonus. With so much on the line, the competition is sure to be fierce as the players make their final pushes for the ultimate rewards. –@NewsSA