Following a memorable Africa Open victory by Louis Oosthuizen, local government in the Eastern Cape has declared the tournament a major success in the drive to promote the province globally.
So much so that Mcebisi Jonas, the MEC for Finance, Economic Development and Environmental Affairs, has pledged government support of the tournament for the next five years.
“There is a growing interest within all sectors of the community around this tournament,” said Jonas.
“The Africa Open forms part of our drive to promote the province globally and create a greater awareness of the treasures here. The numbers coming to the Eastern Cape because of this tournament are a huge benefit. So we are committed to the event for the next five years.”
The Africa Open forms part of the European Tour’s international schedule, bringing with it 156 professional golfers from around the world, many of which accompanied by family and friends.
It is estimated that the 2011 edition of this event created over 300 jobs, ranging from caddies to drivers for the courtesy vehicles.
The global gross international media value of the event rose to over $10 million in 2010, including live television coverage, delayed coverage, news coverage and highlights packages in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Locally, the brand exposure in 2010 was worth just over R25 million.
