Dimension Data made Valentine’s Day extraordinary

Dimension Data gifted the Sunshine Ladies Tour with a magnificent surprise on Valentine’s Day with the announcement of record prize money for the fourth edition of the Sunshine Ladies Tour Dimension Data Pro-Am.

The sixth counting event in the 2017 Chase to the Investec Cup for Ladies will boast a purse of R600 000, with R500 000 allocated to the tournament and R100 000 reserved for the Betterball Competition.

The first two rounds of 54-hole event will be played at George Golf Club on Friday and Saturday and the final round will be contested at the Outeniqua Course at Fancourt on Sunday.

The increase of R150 000 on 2016 continues the growth of the Sunshine Ladies Tour Dimension Data Pro-Am since the longest-standing Sunshine Tour sponsor joined the Sunshine Ladies Tour and continues a tradition that began in 2014.

Ahead of the first edition, Dimension Data raised the prize money to R150 000. This marked a R50,000 jump on the initial purse announced at the launch of the Sunshine Ladies Tour and Dimension Data also offered additional prize money of R25,000 to the leading six professionals in the Betterball competition.

In 2015, the technology and information giant raised the prize money to R250 000 and last year, Dimension Data stunned with a significant hike by taking the overall prize money to R 450 000, with a R350 000 purse for the tournament and R100 000 on offer in the Betterball Competition.

“This latest increase translates to a first prize cheque worth R70 000 for the Sunshine Ladies Tour Dimension Data Pro-Am champion on Sunday,” said Sunshine Tour chief executive Selwyn Nathan. “Moreover, the winner will receive 650 points, which will throw this year’s Chase to the Investec Cup for Ladies wide open.

“Dimension Data has been a proud and committed sponsor and partner of the Sunshine Tour for 22 years and the company has shown the Sunshine Ladies Tour the same proactive support and dedication since the tour launched in 2014.

“This announcement keeps the Sunshine Ladies Tour Dimension Data Pro-Am at the forefront in what is turning into a very special year for women’s professional golf. We thank Dimension Data for its ongoing support of the women’s professional game and Jeremy Ord in particular, for his ambitious thinking and commitment in developing the prize fund to record levels.”

Dimension Data Chairman Jeremy Ord said the company is proud of its association with both the Sunshine Tour and Sunshine Ladies Tour.

“In the last 22 years, we have taken our passion for golf, our commitment to develop of our local players and our role in growing the sport in South Africa very seriously,” Ord said.

“The Dimension Data Pro-Am is the longest running event on the Sunshine Tour and we were very proud to extend our relationship with the Sunshine Tour to the Sunshine Ladies Tour. We are pleased that this announcement maintains our status among the premier events on the professional ladies’ circuit.

“The Sunshine Ladies Tour Dimension Data Pro-Am provides our clients a wonderful opportunity to compete in a top quality championship with enormously talented golfers. At the same time, the event is also providing a stage where we can nurture the future stars in this sport.

“We are extremely pleased to see how well the event, and the Sunshine Ladies Tour, is supported by our country’s top players and it is fitting to reward their commitment and increase our investment in the future growth of the Sunshine Ladies Tour.”