Andy DevaneyIf anyone thought the Sunshine Tour was just South Africa’s local golfing jamboree, the newly confirmed Sunshine Tour 2025-26 schedule will have them spitting out their Castle Lager.
The circuit has gone global in scope, rolling out a season that dangles carrots like Masters invitations, Open Championship spots, DP World Tour cards, and enough prize money to make even a scratch player start Googling how to qualify.
The season hits its stride between December 2025 and March 2026, starting with a one-two punch of DP World Tour co-sanctioned events: the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Royal Johannesburg Golf Club (11–14 December) and the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open at La Réserve Golf Links (18–21 December).
After the Christmas pudding has settled, the new year kicks off with the R2.5 million Cell C Challenge at Killarney Country Club (22–25 January 2026), followed by four HotelPlanner Tour co-sanctioned stops.
Those include the SDC Open at Zebula (29 Jan–1 Feb), the CIRCA Cape Town Open (5–8 Feb), the R7 million NTT DATA Pro-Am at Fancourt (12–15 Feb), and the Jonsson Workwear Open at Durban Country Club (19–22 Feb).
A Masters Invite on the Line
Then comes the real blockbuster. The Investec South African Open at Stellenbosch Golf Club (26 Feb–1 Mar) will, for the first time in Sunshine Tour history, hand its winner a ticket to Augusta National for the 2026 Masters.
On top of that, it’s expected to remain part of The Open Qualifying Series for Royal Birkdale. In other words, win here and you’re no longer just a Sunshine Tour champion – you’re a contender on golf’s grandest stages.
The following week, the Joburg Open at Houghton Golf Club (5–8 March) will decide the top 72 players eligible for the Courier Guy Playoffs, where the Sunshine Tour hands out the kind of perks that make a young pro’s head spin.
The Courier Guy Playoffs: where dreams get cashed in
This two-event series begins with a yet-to-be-named R2.5 million tournament in Gauteng (12–15 March), before the curtain falls with the R3 million DNi Tour Championship at De Zalze (26–29 March).
Here’s the kicker: finish first on the Courier Guy Order of Merit and you’ll pocket a R500,000 bonus, a DP World Tour card, an exemption into the Nedbank Golf Challenge, and potential entry into both The Open and the US PGA Championship via the world ranking system.
Runners-up won’t leave empty-handed either, with second and third place banking R200,000 and R100,000 respectively – plus full exemption into next season’s HotelPlanner Tour events.
A global pathway
Commissioner Thomas Abt summed up the ambition in plain terms: “We are extremely excited about the rest of our season. The 2025-26 season on the Sunshine Tour is a powerful statement of our tour’s ability to provide a consistent and sustainable pathway to greatness throughout the year.
We are recognised globally by the next generation of professionals as a true tour of opportunity which can open doors into some of the biggest and most prestigious tournaments in our game.
We can do this because we have, over decades, proven ourselves as a reliable and valued partner through our longstanding Strategic Alliance with the DP World Tour and PGA Tour, and with the support of our loyal partners and sponsors.”
Sunshine Tour 2025-26 schedule at a glance
- Alfred Dunhill Championship | Royal Johannesburg GC | 11–14 Dec
- AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open | La Réserve, Heritage Resorts | 18–21 Dec
- Cell C Challenge | Killarney CC | 22–25 Jan
- SDC Open | Zebula | 29 Jan–1 Feb
- CIRCA Cape Town Open | Royal Cape GC | 5–8 Feb
- NTT DATA Pro-Am | Fancourt | 12–15 Feb
- Jonsson Workwear Open | Durban CC | 19–22 Feb
- Investec South African Open | Stellenbosch GC | 26 Feb–1 Mar
- Joburg Open | Houghton GC | 5–8 Mar
Courier Guy Playoffs:
- Playoffs Tournament | Gauteng | 12–15 Mar
- DNi Tour Championship | De Zalze | 26–29 Mar
