The Sunshine Tour has announced “a comprehensive financial relief programme” for golfers and caddies.

In a statement on Thursday‚ the Southern Africa PGA Tour said the Sunshine Tour would pay monthly stipends to its member professionals for April and May “on a scale according to their various categories of membership”.

The Women’s Professional Golf Association (WPGA)‚ with the Sunshine Ladies Tour‚ would run a similar programme for the top 25 professionals. 

“The Sunshine Tour has also committed to paying a monthly stipend for April and May to all the caddies who are registered with the SA Caddie Association and who have been active in the 2019-2020 Sunshine Tour season.

“This is to assist them in meeting their financial obligations at a time when professional golf worldwide has been suspended because of Covid-19.” 

The statement added that staff and executive of the Sunshine Tour‚ as well as the executive of GolfRSA and the women’s professional body‚ had agreed to a voluntary salary reduction for April and May “based on what is affordable to each staff member”. 

“Our board has fully endorsed and approved this financial plan for our members and those of the WPGA and the Sunshine Ladies Tour as we believe wholeheartedly that this is the right course of action to support our membership base in a manner and on a level that will ensure the longevity of our tours and help our members through these trying times‚” said Sunshine Tour commissioner Selwyn Nathan.