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Cape Town - Reported to be for the first time in professional golf history, players will be allowed to compete in shorts at this week's Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek, starting on Thursday.
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This week's co-sanctioned tournament between the Sunshine and European Tours has made history by becoming the first event to allow players to play in shorts ahead of the expected heatwave in Mpumalanga.
According to the respected Golf Weather website, temperatures in the high 30s are forecast for the four days of competition.
On Thursday and Friday, temperatures are expected to reach a maximum of 37 degrees Celsius with Saturday the highest at 38 degrees.
For Sunday's final round, the mercury will drop to a relatively "cool" 31 degrees.
Since 2016 on the European Tour, players have been allowed to wear shorts during practice rounds with long pants remaining the required attire for competition rounds.
Similarly, in 2018, the PGA Tour made changes to its appearance guidelines, which allowed players to wear shorts on six tours operated under the PGA Tour umbrella, but once again long pants were required for tournament play.
Four-time major champion Ernie Els welcomed the news on his Twitter account, joking that this decision will bode well for his European friends looking for some sun in their winter season.
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- Compiled by Lynn Butler
BREAKING!!
— Sunshine Tour (@Sunshine_Tour) November 27, 2019
In a first for professional golf, players will be allowed to play in shorts at the Alfred Dunhill Championship this week @LeopardCreekCC ??@dunhilllinks @EuropeanTour #SunshineTour#Gr8nessBeginsHere#DunhillChamps pic.twitter.com/rMFiFokPLJ
Great news from @cutmaker and @EuropeanTour @Sunshine_Tour We can wear shorts this week. #heatwave for my European friends ?? @LeopardCreekCC
— Ernie Els (@TheBig_Easy) November 27, 2019
