A New Chapter for South African Legends Golf
Our mission is to restore confidence, rebuild the schedule and elevate the profile of South African over 50's professional golf.
the story of legends
past greats of the game
The history of the Sunshine Legends Tour is woven from the stories of South Africa’s great champions as they moved into the over-50s game and refused to stop competing.
From the early days of the South African Senior Open, where names like Hobday, Bland, Player and Trevino thrilled local crowds, to the many titles our golfers claimed on senior tours around the world, our legends have carried the flag with pride and personality.
Over the years the Tour has weathered its share of challenges, but the constant has always been the quality of the golf and the character of the players. Today, as the Sunshine Legends Tour, we honour that legacy while stepping into a new, more professional era—one that aims to match the standards of the European Legends Tour and give our legends the platform they deserve at home.
This history section tells that story: where we’ve come from, what we’ve overcome, and why the best chapters are still to be written.
where greatness started
The Birth of Senior Golf in South Africa
(1995–1998)
The story of the Sunshine Legends Tour begins in the mid-1990s with the birth of the South African Senior Open. Names like Simon Hobday and John Bland lit up the leaderboards, while international icons Gary Player and Lee Trevino thrilled local crowds.
In partnership with international sponsors, the early events at venues such as Dainfern delivered more than just trophies—they sent a powerful signal in a new South Africa. Champions of colour like Solly Sepeng and Gabriel Putsoe claimed major titles, seizing opportunities that had been denied for too long and inspiring a new generation of golfers.
At the same time, many of our greats—Gary Player, John Bland, Hugh Baiocchi, Simon Hobday, Bobby Verwey and John Fourie—were flying the flag abroad, winning on the senior tours of the USA and Europe and proving that South African golfers could dominate on the world stage.
the formative years
Experiment, Growth & New Ideas
(1999–2003)
As the local senior game evolved, entrepreneurs and visionaries began to shape a more structured tour. Trailblazers such as Loeb and Smith secured funding, membership grew, and a first players’ constitution was introduced. Innovative formats like “Ladies and Legends” brought senior professionals and young female professionals together, creating fresh interest and unique stories for fans and sponsors alike.
the game continues to grow
Tough Years and Overseas Success
(2004–2009)
The mid-2000s brought headwinds. Locally, the senior tour faced limited activity and internal challenges. But on the world stage, South African legends were thriving.
Players like Mark McNulty, Gavin Levenson, Tony Johnson, Bobby Lincoln, Hugh Baiocchi, Ian Palmer, John Mashego, Neville Clarke and others collected titles on the US and European senior circuits.
McNulty and Baiocchi enjoyed multiple wins in the USA, while Johnson, Levenson and Lincoln claimed European Senior Tour events.
McNulty also captured The Tradition, a recognised major on the Champions Tour.
Our legends were winning abroad; the challenge was to build a home platform worthy of them.
trailblazing abroad
Rebuilding the Tour
(2010–2022)
A key turning point came in 2010, when a new committee stepped in, followed by the formation of a non-profit organisation in 2013, complete with a modern memorandum of incorporation and rules in line with global golf bodies.
A Board of Directors and Players’ Committee were established, and flagship events such as the SA Senior Open and SA Senior Masters returned to the schedule—events that have since become cornerstones of our calendar.
Investment remained a challenge in a slow economy, but creative partnerships with government and private sponsors started to rebuild momentum. In 2018, affiliation with the Sunshine Tour brought additional support and structure, with Order of Merit events played under the “Sunshine Senior Tour” banner.
Despite setbacks—most notably the impact of Covid-19—our members continued to shine. Names like Mark McNulty, Chris Williams, James Kingston, Des Terblanche, Doug McGuigan, Grant Muller, Keith Horne and Brett Liddle kept adding chapters to the story, while Ernie Els and Retief Goosen flew the flag on the Champions Tour in the USA.
the stories unfold
The Sunshine Legends Era
(2023– present)
Today, that journey evolves into the Sunshine Legends Tour.
New name. New identity. A renewed commitment to:
- Elevating our events to world-class standard
- Deepening our alignment with the European Legends Tour
- Building long-term partnerships with sponsors and host venues
- Creating more playing and earning opportunities for professionals over 50
- Inspiring fans who grew up watching these champions—and their children and grandchildren
The legends are still here. The passion is still real.
Now, the platform is catching up.
continuing to build the game we love
past legends
Past legends on the sunshine legends tour
Fulton Allen
His victories in both hemispheres showcased the depth of Southern African golf and strengthened the link between local circuits and the world’s biggest stages.
Joe Dlamini
Dlamini’s impact went far beyond scorecards. For a long stretch he was effectively the standard-bearer for non-white professionals from Swaziland, and his success became a symbol of what was possible in a changing South Africa.
John Bland
Bland was a regular presence near the top of the Sunshine Tour’s Order of Merit and one of the region’s most respected competitors.
Nick Price
His journey from the Sunshine Tour to global No. 1 embodies exactly what the Sunshine Legends Tour wants young players – and sponsors – to believe is possible.
Tony Johnstone
For the Sunshine Legends Tour, Johnstone is a bridge between eras: a player who helped make the Sunshine Tour truly international, and a storyteller who now carries those memories to new audiences.
David Frost
Based between South Africa and the United States, he has long personified the dual identity of Sunshine Tour players: rooted in African golf, yet fully competitive on the biggest international stages.
For our Sponsors & Partners
Why Partner With the Sunshine Legends Tour?
The Sunshine Legends Tour connects brands with an influential, high-net-worth golfing audience that spans business leaders, decision-makers and lifelong fans of the game.
From headline sponsorships and series naming rights to bespoke pro-am and hospitality experiences, we work with partners to create:
- Unforgettable experiences for clients and guests
- Powerful storytelling built around legends of the game
- Meaningful community impact through development initiatives and local engagement