South African Open will complete three-week European Tour safari | Golf News – Times of India

JOHANNESBURG: The South African Open will be staged at Sun City between December 3-6, it was announced Thursday, to climax three weeks of European Tour/Sunshine Tour tournaments in the republic.
The second oldest national golf championship in the world after the British Open follows the Joburg Open (November 19-22) and the Alfred Dunhill Championship (November 26-29).
The Joburg Open will mark the return of international golf to South Africa after a nine-month suspension due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Sun City, a northwestern resort, traditionally stages the Nedbank Golf Challenge — popularly known as the African major — but the 2020 edition was cancelled due to Covid-19.
Branden Grace won the 2019 South African Open in Johannesburg by three strokes from Louis Oosthuizen in a showdown between local golfers over the closing holes of the final round.
European Tour chief executive Keith Pelley said: “I am delighted to see the South African Open back on our international schedule this year.
“Since our season restarted in July, we have taken a measured approach to our tournaments, informed every step of the way by our medical advisers and government guidance in the countries we play.
“We have also tried to stage consecutive tournaments, wherever possible, in geographical clusters to reduce the onus on international travel.
“(This) announcement, following on from the news of the Joburg Open and the Alfred Dunhill Championship in preceding weeks on our schedule, (is) all the more pleasing.”