SA PLACES SECOND IN WORLD’S MOST PRESTIGIOUS AMATEUR CHARITY GOLF TOURNAMENT

South African amateur golf has proven once again that we have what it takes to compete on the finest golf courses in the world. Following two immensely pressurised days of golf at The Royal Berkshire and Moor Park Golf Clubs, and having beaten thousands of amateur golfers from around the country to get there, Andy Turner of Johannesburg returned to South Africa from London last week having placed second in the Duke of Edinburgh World Finals 2011 – the world’s most prestigious amateur charity golf tournament.

For good measure, Turner and his partner Sanet Geere of Nelspruit also placed second in the Duke of Edinburgh World Pairs Final and were presented with their trophies by His Royal Highness Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, at a glittering celebration dinner held at Windsor Castle – home to the Queen of England. Geere won the South African final at Pecanwood Golf & Country Estate earlier this year, becoming the first woman ever to win the title.

Renowned for being the best in its class in South Africa, the Duke of Edinburgh tournament is hosted in South Africa by gaming and leisure giant, Tsogo Sun Gaming and its 14 entertainment properties, who have, since the inception of the tournament, contributed over R5 million towards worthy South African causes through their affiliation with the UK-based Duke of Edinburgh Cup charity and the royal family. Despite the economic climate, over R700 00 was raised this year alone and all funds will be donated through Tsogo Sun’s Doorstep initiative to worthy beneficiaries across the country.

“The SA leg of the Duke of Edinburgh Cup started off as one Golf Day a year and has since grown into a truly national tournament, with 13 regional finals planned for 2012,” says Kathy Scheepmaker, Tsogo Sun Project Manager and organiser of the tournament. “It is an aspirational tournament, with a prize that amounts to no less than a once-in-a-lifetime experience that no amount of money can buy. We hope that the promise of a prize of this magnitude – which includes an exclusive invitation from the British royal family to dine with them at Windsor Castle and play on the Queen’s private golf course – combined with the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate, continues to inspire amateur golfers across the country to pit themselves against their peers for international recognition in the name of the game they love.”

Turner, who has a rich personal sporting history, says he will always remember the tournament as a highlight in his life. “It is the best sporting experience I have ever had. Thank you to Tsogo Sun and the Duke of Edinburgh team for giving amateur golfers this global exposure.”

Geere, who places the informal game at the Royal Household Golf Club at Windsor Great Park and the prize-giving dinner at Windsor Castle as the highlights of her trip, says “Travelling to London to be part of the Duke of Edinburgh golf competition was the most awesome experience. I have no words to describe how wonderful it was. Although treated like VIPs at the Emnotweni Casino qualifying round at White River and in the Powerplay round at Peacanwood Golf & Country Estate, nothing could ever have prepared me for the way I would be treated in the UK. From the minute we arrived we were treated like royalty. Everything about the trip was just magical; from staying in the exquisite Castle Hotel in Windsor, to the privilege of walking through what I would imagine are probably three of the oldest and most beautiful golf clubhouses in the world, to meeting a diverse array of people from all over the world.”

“This year, more than 1 000 amateur golfing enthusiasts around the country fought for their place in the most exciting annual Powerplay Shoot-Out in South African amateur golf, while also doing their part for a good cause, and the donation of over R700 000 to worthy causes is a tribute to their involvement. We are looking forward to an even bigger and better tournament in 2012,” says Scheepmaker.

For further information on the South African tournament or to book your place in the 2012 Duke of Edinburgh Cup which tees off in March 2012, please visit www.dukeofedinburgh.co.za.