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South African billionaire Johann Rupert’s Sunshine Tour has entered into a partnership with the European Tour to celebrate their relationship of more than 25 years and recognize South Africa’s contribution to the game of golf globally.
The Sunshine Tour is a men’s professional golf tour based in Southern and East Africa. It is one of the six leading men’s tours that made up the U.S.-based International Federation of PGA Tours before 2009.
However, as Sunshine Tour offers much less prize money than other leading tours internationally, South Africa’s brightest golfers often prefer to play on the PGA Tour or European Tour instead.
Rupert is the chairman of Sunshine Tour.
As part of the partnership, the European Tour has committed to helping develop Sunshine Tour, as well as improving the existing international pathways between them, Alberton Record reported.
“For many years, the European Tour has greatly valued the relationship we have enjoyed with the Sunshine Tour and today’s announcement is the next step in that journey together,” European Tour CEO Keith Pelley said.
The partnership further acknowledges South African golf professionals, as well as Rupert’s contribution to the development and growth of the game around the world.
In a statement, Sunshine Tour Commissioner Thomas Abt said: “This partnership is an acknowledgment of the contribution that our chairperson, Johann Rupert, has made not only to the advancement of the Sunshine Tour and its legacy, as well as golf development but also to the overall growth of the global game.”
Rupert is a South African billionaire and the chairman of the Swiss luxury goods company Richemont and the South African Remgro Limited. He is the second wealthiest South African with a net worth of $7.1 billion, Statistica estimated.
