Mandela champs to go ahead

Durban - 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.

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 Mandela which will take place on Sunday, December 15.

This is during the originally scheduled playing days (from Thursday, December 12 to 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 Sunshine Tour and the European Tour and it closes out the 2013 Sunshine Tour season and chase for the Order of Merit.

As with the inaugural event, the tournament will honour Mandela’s on-going work through the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund.