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The biggest golfing event on the City’s sporting calendar will tee-off on the lush lawns of Houghton Golf Club on Thursday, 24 November 2022.

Bongi Mokaba, the City’s Director of Events Management, says excitement is building up ahead of the tournament, which will play over four days. 

"We’re expecting spectators. I’m just praying there’s no rain so that we can yet again, as a municipality, showcase our capabilities to the Sunshine Tour and the DP World Tour that we’re able to deliver international events, and this is one of them," Mokaba adds.

On Thursday morning, all roads will lead to the Houghton Golf Club, a premier golf venue in the country. The course has a proud history as a championship facility, having hosted no fewer than eight SA Open events.

Mokaba says Houghton is an amazing golf course.

"It’s a short course, but it has a number of challenges. The greens have been hardened, the rough has grown, and hole 15 is a par five, but we reduced the size to a par four. It’s any man’s game," she says.

About 156 golfers from across the world will take to the greens throughout the tournament. The ultimate winner will be announced on Sunday, and a prize purse of 1 million euros will be shared among the players who complete the tournament on the final day.

Thriston Lawrence will return to defend his Joburg Open title, which he clinched triumphantly last year.

As part of promoting the development of the sport of golf in Johannesburg, the City has extended sponsorship invitations to four golfers, including Siyanda Mwandla, Nikhil Rama, Madalitso Muthiya, and Jordan Duminy.

The Joburg Open International Golf Tournament is co-sanctioned by the Sunshine Tour and the DP World Tour. It is an acclaimed event for both local and international golfers.

Preparations for the smooth running of the tournament started on Monday, 21 November during a welcome dinner at the Houghton Hotel. On Tuesday, 22 November it’s the Pro Am. A total of 120 golfers, made up of 90 amateurs and 30 professionals, will participate in the invitation-only event. It will be followed by a prize-giving ceremony on the same evening.

Mokaba says the scope of the Joburg Open is more than just golf; it is also economic development, with plenty of work opportunities created during tournament week.

"This tournament creates employment opportunities and contributes to tourism and the economy of Johannesburg. That is why we’re here," she says emphatically.

This year, the tournament will be open to spectators following the lifting of all Covid-19 public health restrictions. Special tickets for Thursday and Friday cost R50 and tickets for Saturday and Sunday are R100. The full tournament package costs R150 and includes daily access on all four days. Early bird tickets are currently available for purchase on the Sunshine Tour website. 

Don’t delay; get your tickets now. 

Issued by The City of Joburg