Over 40 children from Soweto had a unique opportunity to walk the fairways at Houghton Golf Club and watch professional golfers in action on the third day of the Joburg Open, Saturday, 8 March 2025.
The youngsters experienced the excitement of the tournament up close, drawing inspiration from top players including former Joburg Open winners George Coetzee (2014), Andy Sullivan (2015) and Shubhankar Sharma (2017).
The children were accompanied by their coach and coordinator, Ramoroka Magooa, who expressed his sincere gratitude towards the City of Johannesburg and co-sanctioned partners DP World Tour and Sunshine Tour for extending an invite to the children. “Thank you to the City for making this opportunity possible. We would like to see the children improve and possibly even see a Tiger Woods come out of these kids, hence they’re here today,” says Magooa.
He further states that the children could hardly contain their excitement and watched in awe as they saw the powerful drives and putts up close.
Member of Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Community Development, Cllr Tebogo Nkonkou, says it’s important to debunk stereotypes that golf is an elite sport and not accessible to all.
“This initiative is part of the City’s broader commitment to making sports more accessible, especially in historically disadvantaged communities. Golf remains a sport with immense potential to inspire, instill discipline, and open doors to future opportunities. By exposing young people to such events, the City of Johannesburg aims to nurture new talent and foster inclusivity in sports development,” Cllr Nkonkou explains.
“The participation of these young players is a step toward ensuring that golf is not just seen as an elite sport but as an accessible and viable career path for all,” Cllr Nkonkou adds.
Cllr Nkonkou further encourage communities to support youth engagement in sports. “I would like to urge spectators and stakeholders to continue investing in grassroots sports, ensuring that every child, regardless of background, has the opportunity to dream big and achieve greatness.”
The City of Johannesburg remains committed to creating opportunities and fostering long-term relationships with communities, which is why the Joburg Open embraces these through coaching clinic opportunities. On Wednesday, 5 March 2025, ahead of the Joburg Open tournament, young kids had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to receive coaching from professional golfers.
The tournament concludes on Sunday, 9 March 2025, when the official Joburg Open winner will be announced.
Written by Brümilda Swartbooi