Sunshine Legends Tour ushers in new era for South African senior professional golf

South African senior professional golf has entered a bold era with the launch of the Sunshine Legends Tour and including a new brand identity, a new board and players' committee, and an official partner in Srixon.

The Sunshine Legends Tour has announced its clear vision to create a sustainable and thriving circuit for the country’s senior professionals, including working closely with the Legends Tour in Europe on possible future tournament collaborations.

The Tour has also announced that the South African Senior Open hosted by James Kingston will be one of its flagship events to be played at Plettenberg Golf Club from 10-12 December, 2025, as well as a new 72-hole pro-am tournament – the Winelands Classic – to be played in both Robertson and Worcester in early November.

Ian Smith, the Commissioner of the Sunshine Legends Tour, said this is the first step in a broad plan to reinvigorate senior professional golf in South Africa.

“The Sunshine Legends Tour is about legacy and heritage. It’s about celebrating the golfers who were all household names in this country, and who through their incredible achievements created the stories golf fans still tell to this day, and which is a valuable part of the history of South African golf. It’s a proud moment for us to launch this new era in the senior game, and we’re thankful to Srixon South Africa for being our partner in this.

“Our Board is hard at work on a 2026 schedule that will also showcase a wide range of new sponsors and Tour partners.”

Louise Cooper, Managing Director of Srixon South Africa, said she was thrilled to be a part of this dynamic partnership, which marks a significant milestone in supporting these legends of the game.

“We are absolutely excited to team up with the new era of Board members and create some magic for the Sunshine Legends Tour,” said Cooper.

Thomas Abt, Commissioner of the Sunshine Tour, said this was a significant moment for the Sunshine Legends Tour.

“We wish the Sunshine Legends Tour all of the best as it starts its own journey to becoming a fully independent and sustainable Tour, and led by a passionate Board that has the interests of senior professional golf at heart and wants to see this area of the game flourish.”

On behalf of the professionals, Kingston, a winner of 22 tournaments worldwide and part of a rare club of golfers to have won both the South African Open and the South African Senior Open, said this represents an exciting new era for the senior game in Africa.

“I feel very proud, together with so many of my fellow professionals, to have contributed to the growth of South African golf through our careers. I turned professional in 1989, which is a lifetime ago. I won my first tournament in Polokwane and my first-place cheque was R4 000. It was one of the greatest moments of my career to win the South African Open in 2007 against some of the best players in the world, and then to also win the South African Senior Open was just as special.

“The Sunshine Legends Tour will hopefully be a worthy platform to pay tribute to all of the wonderful careers that have helped to shape South African golf and allow our senior professionals to play more regularly and compete in proper tournaments,” he said.

As the host of the South African Senior Open, Kingston said he hopes the tournament will also shine a light on Plettenberg Bay Golf Club and the local community.

“Plettenberg Bay Golf Club is really one of those hidden gems of South African golf and one of the most beautiful courses on the Garden Route. I think that’s why I wanted to get involved in this. It’s about building something special that can also mean something for the local community in Plettenberg Bay.”