Investec strengthens its support of South African golf and Netstar partners with Sunshine Tour to drive SA golf excellence through data intelligence

Dylan Naidoo. Sunshine Tour

Investec has significantly strengthened its commitment to South African golf with the extension of its comprehensive support of the men’s and women’s professional game as well as the development of the game. The extended partnership reinforces Investec's long-term commitment to South African sport and the pathways that help local talent compete on the biggest international stages.

On the occasion of the 115th Investec South African Open Championship at Stellenbosch Golf Club this week, Investec announced a further five-year extension of its title sponsorship of the Investec South African Open on the Sunshine Tour and DP World Tour.

Further to this, Investec also announced another five-year extension of its patron support of the Papwa Sewgolum Class, the Sunshine Tour’s official transformation programme for previously disadvantaged golfers who seek to turn professional.

To this end, Investec has rewarded Karabo Mokoena, as the leading Papwa Sewgolum Class member, with an exemption in the Investec South African Open this week.

In women’s golf, Investec announced a five-year extension of its title support of the Investec South African Women’s Open on the Sunshine Ladies Tour and Ladies European Tour, including a further R1-million investment into the total prize fund for this championship.

The women’s game will also continue to benefit from the Investec Order of Merit on the Sunshine Ladies Tour and the R200 000 bonus for the season’s overall champion and the R100 000 Investec Homegrown Award should the winner of the women’s national Open be a South African. These commitments are focused on building depth in the women’s game and creating more opportunities for South African players to progress.

Kaiyuree Moodley. Sunshine Ladies Tour

It's another significant investment in South African golf from a company that has been supporting the local game for over 14 years.

“We are deeply invested in South African golf, and we see this as a long-term commitment to the people and platforms that strengthen the game,” said Peta Dixon, Head of Sponsorships at Investec.

“These championships are a stage where South African talent can be celebrated both at home and internationally and tested against the best. We also want more young players to be able to see a route into the professional ranks, which is why the Papwa Sewgolum Class matters.”

The announcement comes during the most momentous week in South African golf, with the 115th Investec South African Open welcoming a world-class field led by Patrick Reed and Ernie Els all chasing a Masters exemption for the winner and a place in the 154th Open at Royal Birkdale for the top three finishers who are not exempt.

“We are extremely privileged to have Investec as such a loyal and passionate supporter of our game. Their support of both of our national men’s and women’s Open is a unique alignment of the greatness we see in the potential of South African golf. And it feeds seamlessly into their status as a patron of the Papwa Sewgolum Class and their proudly Homegrown vision of supporting local talent. We’re proud to have them as a partner, and this week’s 115th Investec South African Open will be a fitting showcase of this wonderful partnership,” said Thomas Abt, Commissioner of the Sunshine Tour.

Karabo Mokoena. Sunshine Tour

Meanwhile, Netstar, a subsidiary of Altron and leading provider of vehicle tracking and telematics solutions, announced a strategic partnership with the Sunshine Tour to develop enhanced golf performance analytics and tracking capabilities together.

The strategic partnership aims to support South African golfers by providing insights to help refine skills, define strategies and improve consistency. The partnership brings Netstar’s tracking technology to professional golf, with both organisations committed to developing a custom solution together. By applying telematics and analytics capabilities used in fleet management, Netstar and the Sunshine Tour will work together to create tools that support player development over time.

"This partnership represents the Altron Group’s commitment to building epic solutions using data, technology and human ingenuity," said Werner Kapp, CEO of Altron Group. "Just as Netstar has pioneered vehicle tracking and fleet management, we're now applying that innovation-first approach to help accelerate South Africa's proud golf heritage."

The technology aims to provide performance tracking including shot dispersion, accuracy trends, and strategic insights, enabling players and coaches to make data-driven improvements. As the solution matures, future phases may enhance fan engagement through interactive platforms, bringing spectators closer to the action with statistics and analytics.

The solution being developed combines three core elements of Netstar’s capabilities: compact, wearable GPS tracking devices that track a player’s position on the course; a shot capture application operated by trained markers during tournament rounds; and an analytics dashboard delivering performance insights across six key areas – scoring, off the tee, approach shots, short game, putting and strokes gained. As coverage expands, the dashboard will enable players to benchmark their performance against Sunshine Tour peers or even DP World Tour or PGA TOUR standards, helping identify areas for improvement.

"From tracking vehicles to tracking victories – this partnership showcases how our core technology can transcend industries," explained Grant Fraser, Group Managing Director of Netstar. "We’re excited to work with the Sunshine Tour to develop solutions that bring valuable insights to players. Together, we’re committed to building something that supports South African golf’s continued success on the world stage."

The Sunshine Tour, which has launched the careers of champions such as Ernie Els, Gary Player, Retief Goosen and Louis Oosthuizen, sees this partnership as an important step toward embracing data-driven approaches in professional golf.

"South Africa is one of the most prolific producers of world-class golf talent. Technology is reshaping professional golf globally, and this partnership ensures our players continue to perform at the top of their game," stated Abt.

Sunshine Tour professional Dylan Frittelli, with top-five finishes at both The Masters and The Open Championship, welcomed the development: "Having competed internationally, I've seen first-hand how data analytics separates good players from champions. This technology will give emerging talent the tools to refine their games and compete confidently on the biggest stages. It's exactly what South African golf needs."

The partnership officially starts at the beginning of the 2026/27 season in May this year, with phased implementation across select Sunshine Tour events as the solution develops. Netstar will be running pilots of the solution at the Investec South African Open Championship and the Joburg Open in February and March respectively. Both organisations are committed to working together to further South African golf’s championship legacy through the combination of data, technology and talent.