The City has extended sponsorship invitations to three promising female golfers, enabling them to participate in its elite Joburg Ladies Open International Golf Tournament. A sponsorship invitation is usually extended to professional golfers to participate in a golf tournament based on their past performance, current world ranking, or potential to vie for top honours.

Each year, a wild card is offered to promising young golfers to participate in the Joburg Ladies Open. This year, invitees include Yolanda Duma, Isabella van Rooyen, and Tara Griebenow, who have been guaranteed a spot in the annual international showpiece.

“Accepting a sponsorship invitation can be a valuable opportunity for a golfer to gain exposure, earn prize money, and potentially improve their world ranking,” said Bongi Mokaba, the City’s Director of Event Management.

Van Rooyen scored a few birdies on day one of the tournament. After her first round, she said it was exciting to be playing the Joburg Ladies Open at the Modderfontein Golf Club.

“I’m super grateful and thankful that I get the opportunity to play in this tournament. Out of all the Sunshine Tour events throughout the year, this is definitely my favourite event and course. I’m super happy to be back here again,” she said.

Van Rooyen added that the weather was perfect, and the greens were bumpy in the first round.

She returned to this year’s event as a professional after being the only amateur to participate in last year’s tournament following a sponsorship invitation.

Duma has participated in the Joburg Ladies Open since 2017. She says it’s not easy to play in a tournament of this stature, and she is always grateful for the sponsor’s invitation.

“I am so grateful; it’s not easy to get in. When you get a sponsor’s invite, it helps a lot, and I’m grateful for that.”

Duma scored one birdie in her first round. “I couldn’t hit my driver; otherwise, everything else was fine,” she said about her first round in the tournament.

Round two of the tournament commenced on Thursday, 2 March. The finale will be held on Saturday, 4 March, after which the champion will walk away with a lion’s share of the €300,000 prize purse.

The prestigious four-day tournament is co-sanctioned by the Ladies European Tour and the Sunshine Ladies Tour. It teed off at the Modderfontein Golf Club on Wednesday, 1 March.

Follow the Joburg Ladies Open action and updates on the City’s social media pages: @CityofJoburgZA on Twitter, City of Johannesburg on Facebook, and @CityofJoburg on Instagram. The Joburg Open pages can be followed on Twitter @JoburgOpen_ and Instagram and Facebook @JoburgOpen.

Written by Brümilda Swartbooi