WPGA welcomes Cell C to ranks

The Womens PGA of South Africa (WPGA) has welcomed Cell C as the title sponsor of the South African Women’s Open, to be held at San Lameer Country Club in October.

“We are very pleased to welcome Cell C to the growing list of industry leaders that support the WPGA and events on the Sunshine Ladies Tour and expand the playing platform for women professional golfers in South Africa,” said WPGA chairman, Margie Whitehouse.

“We also applaud the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development and Tourism and the Hibiscus Coast Municipality for their continued support of this prestigious international championship.

Whitehouse commended promoters World Sports Promotions for elevating the profile of the WPGA’s national Open.

“Lesley Copeman and her team have worked tirelessly over the last three years to re-establish the SA Women’s Open and raise its profile with increased prize money each year and by landing a title sponsor this year,” Whitehouse said.

“Their commitment has been commendable and we thoroughly appreciate the effort they make to help the WPGA to empower women’s golf in South Africa.”

The 72-hole tournament will be played at San Lameer from 16-19 October and will carry an increased purse of €320,000 (approximately R4.5-million).

Copeman of promoters World Sports Promotions said the Cell C sponsorship is an endorsement of the growing success of this tournament and the elevated profile of professional women’s golf in South Africa.

“The South African Women’s Open was the only professional event in South Africa for a number of years and, since the event returned to the LET schedule in 2012, we have successfully grown the stature of the championship with prize money increases,” Copeman said.

“We are extremely proud to welcome Cell C on board as a partner this year. The inclusion of the Cell C SA Women’s Open on the Sunshine Ladies Tour further enhances the playing opportunities for professional golfers and top amateurs in this country.”

Cell C Executive Head of Marketing, Doug Mattheus, said Cell C places a strong emphasis on women empowerment in South Africa through many of our sponsorship and investment projects.

“The South African Women’s Open represents what we want all young women to aspire to and more, which is why we are excited to have become the headline sponsor,” Mattheus said.

“We also welcome the opportunity to support the Sunshine Ladies Tour and provide an international playing platform for top professionals and the country’s rising stars.”

The Sunshine Ladies Tour launched the Chase to the Investec Cup for Ladies earlier this year with eight tournaments during February and March 2014. Investec sponsored three of the seven as well as the season-ending Investec Cup for Ladies. Other tournaments included the Dimension Data Pro-Am, Sun International Challenge, SuperSport Challenge and Ladies Tshwane Open, all which counted towards qualification for the Investec Cup for Ladies.

The SA Women’s Open will form part of the next Chase to the Investec Cup for Ladies as one of the qualifying tournaments.

“We are thrilled that another tournament has been added to the Ladies’ Chase, particularly one of this stature which will attract international players. It is positive to see a growing list of industry leaders supporting the expansion of women’s professional golf in South Africa,” commented Investec’s Heather Casey.

This year’s field will feature the country’s leading professionals competing alongside a strong international contingent as well as 10 South African amateurs.

South African number one Lee-Anne Pace claimed the inaugural Investec Cup for Ladies at the end of March, just weeks before she was named the WPGA Player of the Year and the Golfer of Year at the Compleat Golfer Annual Awards.

The eight-time Ladies European Tour champion has already confirmed her participation in the championship alongside defending champion Marianne Skarpnord of Norway and American Cheyenne Wood.

PHOTO: South Africa’s Lee-Anne Pace has confirmed her place in October’s Cell C South African Women’s Open at San Lameer Country Club. CREDIT: Luke Walker.
Written and released by Lali Stander on behalf of the WPGA and Sunshine Ladies Tour.