Du Toit will join an international field competing in this week’s Investec South African Women’s Open at Erinvale Country & Golf Estate from 25-28 April.

I was lying on the grass under a Jacaranda tree at Pretoria Country Club waiting for the group in front of me. And that’s when I realised, in that moment, that I was put on this earth to play professional golf. But also more than this. I was put here to remind others that your worth is so much more than what you can do or give. There is so much more to life than that.

For years, I never believed that.

I always succeeded in everything I tackled at school. Then when I went to play college golf in the United States, my golf suddenly took a downturn. I realised that the way I had approached golf and my life was from a base of fear. And because my value had been so tied up in my golf, I started to question what I’m good for. I thought, if I can’t play golf, then I’m worth nothing.

Then Covid happened and everything shut down. During this time I got to the point where I clicked that I had real value, regardless of how well I played golf or the success or failure I had. That was a turning point for me and the start of my return to fullness and life.

I went back to college and finished off there. In my fifth year there we had a new coach and he helped me to find my passion for the game again.

When I got back from the United States last year, my golf wasn’t where I wanted it to be. But I worked hard and went from almost not being able to break 80 to getting my Ladies European Tour card. I still don’t know how that happened. So many good things happened to me. I made the cut by one shot to get through to the Final Stage of the Qualifying School. Then I made it on the last number there to get my full card. I had to shoot 16 under par in three rounds to get my card.

I sat down to do my planning and suddenly realised there was no way I had the money to travel to all these tournaments.

I knew Investec is so committed to women’s golf in South Africa, with a long history of supporting the Sunshine Ladies Tour – which thanks to them now offers the biggest prize purse in southern Africa, the Investec South African Women’s Open, Investec Order of Merit and the Investec Homegrown Award – and it is such an iconic homegrown brand. So I sent Peta Dixon, the head of sponsorships at Investec, an email. She was out of the office traveling, but a month later I received an email back from her saying, “We’ve been watching you from last year already.” And they got behind me.

Investec has been such a blessing. Their brand is so strong and aligns so well with everything I believe regarding growth and support, and giving opportunities to people.

Issued by Michael Vlismas Media

The post Du Toit: Covid was a turning point for me and the start of my return to fullness and life appeared first on SportsClub.

This year’s tournament will see a field of over 100 leading women golfers competing for glory with the underlying theme of restoring “Dignity for a Girl Child” and empowering and uplifting young girls by advocating for their rights and dignity.

The “Birdies for Dignity” initiative, in collaboration with Spar, will support this message as every birdie made by a professional golfer during the tournament will translate into a dignity sanitary pack donated to the City’s young girls in need.

“This year’s tournament truly epitomises the spirit of a caring City, evident in the Birdies for Dignity initiative,” said Executive Mayor, Kabelo Gwamanda.

“This initiative is a key element of what the Joburg Ladies Open represents as a tournament that celebrates excellence in women’s sport while at the same time inspiring a generation of young girls that nothing should hold them back in chasing their own dreams. It’s important for us as a City and as a tournament driven by women to restore and maintain the dignity of girl children.

“The initiative started last year and already provided for thousands of dignity packs to the young girls of Zenzeleni Primary School in Alexandra.”

The campaign is a source of tremendous pride for Bongi Mokaba, the Director of Events for the City of Joburg and the tournament promoter, who was also once a young girl growing up in Thembisa chasing her dreams in sport and who today leads the team that organises prestigious golf tournaments in the City of Johannesburg including the Joburg Open on the men’s Sunshine Tour and DP World Tour and the Joburg Ladies Open on the Sunshine Ladies Tour and Ladies European Tour.

“No girl should ever have to miss school or something important in her life because of a natural occurrence in her body. It’s up to us as a society to ensure that this doesn’t happen, and especially not to young girls from disadvantaged backgrounds. Being disadvantaged doesn’t discriminate against your natural talent and potential, but it does often discriminate against your opportunities. So, it is up to us to help that talent to blossom by creating the necessary opportunities through initiatives such as Birdies for Dignity,” said Mokaba.

As a major sports event, the Joburg Ladies Open carries with it a strong message of hope for the young girls of South Africa, and specifically those in the less privileged areas.

This is a tournament that made South African sports history when it became the first women’s professional golf tournament to be played at the refurbished Soweto Country Club.

“As a woman who was born in a township, it’s been a dream come true to see how we as the City of Johannesburg have been able to grow the international status of the Joburg Ladies Open and keep inspiring our young girls,” said Mokaba.

“If you can plant the seed of possibility in a young girl and give her the tools to carry herself with dignity in her daily life, that’s when the magic of what happens inside the ropes at the Joburg Ladies Open changes lives outside the ropes as well.”

Mayor Gwamanda also expressed delight at the opportunity to host international events of this calibre and to showcase the City’s outstanding amenities.

“We have world-class sporting facilities and it gives us the opportunity to host these large events. This will benefit our economy, notably the tourism industry.”

Mokaba also announced a number of new fan intiatives for this year’s tournament.

“One such highlight is the ‘Beat The Pro’ competition where selected golf fans can try and beat the pro with a nearest-to-the-pin shot on a particular par-three and win an all-expenses paid MSC Cruise.

“We’ve also collaborated with Group Finance to organise Open Days during the series of Joburg Ladies Open activations leading up to the tournament. These sessions aim to provide assistance to our customers with any account queries they may have.”

2024 Sunshine Ladies Tour Schedule

*16-18 February: Dimension Data Ladies Pro-Am
– Fancourt.

*21-23 February: SuperSport Ladies Challenge presented by Sun International
– Lost City Golf Course.

*6-8 March: Fidelity ADT Ladies Challenge
– Blue Valley Golf Estate.

*13-15 March: Standard Bank Ladies Open hosted by the City of Cape Town
– Royal Cape Golf Club.

4-6 April: Absa Ladies Invitational
– Serengeti Golf and Wildlife Estate.

10-12 April: Jabra Ladies Classic
– Glendower Golf Club.

18-21 April: Joburg Ladies Open
– Modderfontein Golf Club (co-sanctioned with the Ladies European Tour).

25-28 April: Investec South African Women’s Open
– Erinvale Golf Estate (co-sanctioned with the Ladies European Tour).

*Already completed.

Issued by Michael Vlismas Media

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