Sunshine Tour 2025-26 schedule the strongest in history

The Sunshine Tour has reaffirmed its status as a tour of global opportunity with the announcement of the remainder of its 2025-26 schedule, including four DP World Tour co-sanctioned events, four HotelPlanner Tour co-sanctioned events, the second edition of the prestigious Courier Guy Playoffs, and the added incentives of an invitation to The Masters as well as qualification opportunities for The Open.

The current season will reach its peak from December 2025 to March 2026, beginning with two DP World Tour co-sanctioned events in the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Royal Johannesburg Golf Club from 11-14 December followed by the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open at La Réserve Golf Links, Heritage Resorts, from 18-21 December.

The new year will tee off with a new tournament, the R2.5 million Cell C Challenge at Killarney Country Club from 22-25 January 2026.

This will be followed by the four HotelPlanner Tour co-sanctioned tournaments, including the US$375 000 SDC Open at Zebula Golf Estate and Spa from 29 January to 1 February, the US$375 000 CIRCA Cape Town Open at Royal Cape Golf Club from 5-8 February, the R7 million NTT DATA Pro-Am in partnership with Standard Bank at Fancourt from 12-15 February, and the US$ 375 000 Jonsson Workwear Open at Durban Country Club from 19-22 February.

The DP World Tour then brings its International Swing to South African fairways with the US$1.5 million Investec South African Open at Stellenbosch Golf Club from 26 February to 1 March, followed by the R20.5 million Joburg Open at Houghton Golf Club from 5-8 March.

HISTORIC INCENTIVES

Both of these tournaments offer historic new incentives for the professionals.

For the first time in Sunshine Tour history, the winner of the Investec South African Open will receive an invitation to the 2026 Masters.

The Investec South African Open is also expected to once again form part of The Open Qualifying Series (OQS) for The 154th Open at Royal Birkdale.

The Joburg Open will then play a key role in determining the top 72 players on the Sunshine Tour’s Courier Guy Order of Merit who will qualify for The Courier Guy Playoffs at the end of the season.

The two-event Courier Guy Playoffs begins with a new R2.5 million tournament (still to be announced) from 12-15 March in Gauteng, followed by the R3 million DNi Tour Championship presented by RMB at De Zalze from 26-29 March.

At the end of The Courier Guy Playoffs, the No 1-ranked player on the final Courier Guy Order of Merit will receive a R500 000 cash bonus, a DP World Tour card for the following season, an exemption into the Nedbank Golf Challenge, and possible qualification routes via the Federation Ranking on the Official World Golf Ranking to The Open Championship and US PGA Championship.

The second and third place finishers on the Courier Guy Order of Merit will be fully exempt into all of the following season’s HotelPlanner Tour events and will also receive cash bonuses of R200 000 and R100 000 respectively.

“We are extremely excited about the rest of our season. The 2025-26 season on the Sunshine Tour is a powerful statement of our tour’s ability to provide a consistent and sustainable pathway to greatness throughout the year.

“We are recognised globally by the next generation of professionals as a true tour of opportunity which can open doors into some of the biggest and most prestigious tournaments in our game. We can do this because we have, over decades, proven ourselves as a reliable and valued partner through our longstanding Strategic Alliance with the DP World Tour and PGA Tour, and with the support of our loyal partners and sponsors,” said Thomas Abt, Commissioner of the Sunshine Tour.

SUNSHINE TOUR 2025-26 SCHEDULE

Alfred Dunhill Championship | Royal Johannesburg Golf Club | 11-14 December

AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open | La Réserve Golf Links, Heritage Resorts | 18-21 December

Cell C Challenge | Killarney Country Club | 22-25 January 2026

SDC Open | Zebula Golf Estate and Spa | 29 January to 1 February

CIRCA Cape Town Open | Royal Cape Golf Club | 5-8 February

NTT DATA Pro-Am in partnership with Standard Bank | Fancourt | 12-15 February

Jonsson Workwear Open | Durban Country Club | 19-22 February

Investec South African Open | Stellenbosch Golf Club | 26 February to 1 March

Joburg Open | Houghton Golf Club | 5-8 March

COURIER GUY PLAYOFFS:

Courier Guy Playoffs tournament | 12-15 March | Gauteng

DNi Tour Championship presented by RMB | De Zalze | 26-29 March