The MENA Golf Tour will hit the South African shores next week when the South to East Challenge, the first of a three-event leg co-sanctioned with the Sunshine Big Easy Tour, is played at Zwartkop Golf Club in Centurion from June 7-9.

Marking a significant step forward in giving flight to the careers of its members, the golfing safari to the Rainbow Nation will see the MENA players mix with Big Easy Tour stars and vie for honours and a purse of half a million rand for each event — counting towards the Orders of Merit of both the Tours.

The field for the events will feature the top 84 professionals and 12 leading amateurs, split equally between the two Tours.

The new partnership with the Big Easy Tour goes well beyond staging co-sanctioned tournaments as its knock-on effects will see the top five professionals on the MENA Golf Tour’s end-of-season Order of Merit earn playing privileges on the main Sunshine Tour.

In addition, MENA Golf Tour players, ranked between six and 15, will be exempt into the final stage of the Sunshine Tour’s Qualifying School in a move aimed at creating meaningful playing opportunities for players.

“Our new tie-up with South Africa is a great development for golf, one that will resonate on many levels and reinforce the growing strength of the game in the MENA region,” said Mohamed Juma Buamaim, chairman of the MENA Tour.

“The land of Gary Player and Ernie Els not only has a strong pedigree in golf, but it also boasts some of the best and most beautiful golf courses in the world.

“I am confident our members will have fun playing there alongside Big Easy Tour players.”

Calling it a positive step forward, Grant Wilson, COO of the Sunshine Tour, said: “We look forward to work closely with the MENA Golf Tour to ensure the three-event series is successful.

“We are very excited with our association with the MENA Tour, which, I am confident, will benefit members of both the Tours and help further stimulate the growth.”