South Africa to host Tournament of Hope in 2013

Monday, 13 February 2012 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Reuters: The inaugural Tournament of Hope, widely proclaimed as the richest single event in golf, will be held in South Africa late next year, the International Federation of PGA Tours said on Friday.

To be played from Nov. 28-Dec. 1, the $8.5 million tournament will become the sixth elite event to be sanctioned by the world’s leading tours and will help raise awareness of HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment.

Like the four individual World Golf Championships (WGC) events which are widely regarded as one rung down from the majors, it will bring together the best players in the world based mainly on the official rankings.

“In addition to the Tournament of Hope, the promoters will organise other awareness functions in South Africa and around the world during the week of the tournament,” the International Federation of PGA Tours said in a statement.

The 2013 edition will end on World AIDS Day and the tournament will be staged on similar dates in future years.

Three of the individual WGC events are held in the United States, the Accenture Match Play Championship, the Cadillac Championship and the Bridgestone Invitational, while the HSBC Champions is staged in China.

The Tournament of Hope was first announced by Sunshine Tour commissioner Gareth Tindall last April when he described it as offering “the biggest prize money in professional golf”.

No date was mentioned at the time, though Tindall hoped the inaugural event could be held at the end of 2012.

The Tournament of Hope will join the four individual WGC events and the World Cup team competition, which is staged in China, under the umbrella of the International Federation of PGA Tours.