Aon South Africa announced its sponsorship of the South African Amateur Championship taking place mid-February 2020 at the Royal Johannesburg & Kensington Golf Club.  The event is one of many that underpins long-term growth and development of amateur golf in South Africa, a sport that Aon is supporting on a global scale with the professional services firm recently announcing its support of the Ryder Cup in addition to its sponsorship of the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) Tour and the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) that offer equal prize money for men and women. 

2020 also marks the fact that it is the first time in the SA Amateur Golf Championship’s history, dating back to 1892, that both the men’s and women’s events will be played at the same time and at the same venue.  The SA Amateur Golf Championship is one of the highlights on the amateur golf event circuit. 

“Our participation aligns with our Handicaps Network Africa (HNA) partnership that aims to support the game of golf at all levels in South Africa and across all genders,” says Jacques De Villiers, from Aon South Africa’s Commercial Risk Solutions Division.  HNA is a joint venture between Super-Brands and GolfRSA - the unified body of the South African Golf Association and Women’s Golf South Africa.  

“Golf is a sport that requires immense perseverance, commitment and technical skill.  Whether on the tee or reading the green, golfers are constantly searching for insights to give them an edge over the competition.  They make strategic decisions, take calculated risks, use pattern recognition and rely heavily on a team of trusted advisors to maximise performance.  Aon South Africa’s local support of the game of golf echoes the company’s global commitment to the sport, partnering with the PGA Tour, the LPGA and the Ryder Cup, bringing the parallels between business and golf to life and managing risk,” explains Jacques.

Grant Hepburn, CEO of GolfRSA adds, "We are delighted to welcome Aon on board as sponsor of the South African Amateur Championship.  As a global insurance broker and risk advisor with a proven track record, we believe it will be of great benefit to our golfers, both in their personal and professional capacities.”

Christopher Bentley, CEO at Royal Johannesburg & Kensington Golf Club says the board, members and staff at Royal Johannesburg & Kensington Golf Club, are proud to play host to this ground-breaking event.  “We are a tournament venue and have always played a pivotal role in growing and uniting the game of golf in our country.  With delight and a tremendous desire to reach new horizons, we couldn’t have wished for a better title sponsor than Aon, accompanying us on this exciting new chapter for golf in South Africa,” Christopher concludes.