Nelson Mandela Championship to go ahead next week

The Nelson Mandela Championship presented by ISPS Handa at Durban’s Mount Edgecombe Country Club will go ahead next week as planned, but will start a day earlier on Wednesday, December 11 and finish on Saturday, December 14.

In recognition of the national period of mourning for the passing of former President Mr Nelson Mandela, provision will be made for observing the day of the state funeral for Mr Mandela which will take place on Sunday, December 15.

This is during the originally scheduled playing days (from Thursday, December 12 - Sunday, December 15), so the tournament will start a day early, and in that way, the four rounds can be completed by the scheduled close of the event.

The tournament with its unique trophy will again be co-sanctioned by The European and Sunshine Tours and will be the fourth of seven co-sanctioned events between the two governing bodies on The 2014 Race to Dubai.

As with the inaugural event last year, won by Scotland’s Scott Jamieson, the tournament will honour Mr Mandela’s on-going charity work through the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund.