First time for everything! European Tour to break new ground…

The European Tour is set to break new ground at this week’s Alfred Dunhill Championship, as players are to be allowed to wear shorts in competition for the first-ever time.

Organisers of the event at Leopard Creek, the first European Tour event of the 2020 season, have made the concession with temperatures forecast to hit 40˚C during the event.

Until now, shorts have been restricted to pro-am and practice rounds.

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Home hopeful Ernie Els welcomed the news, saying: “It is very nice when common sense comes into play. It s the right thing to do. It has been talked about for so long on all of the tours around the world.

“Johann Rupert [owner of Leopard Creek] is always a man who is forward thinking and I think this could be a game-changer for golf that could enhance the product.”

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Selwyn Nathan, the commissioner of the South African Sunshine Tour, which co-sanctions the tournament with the European Tour, also welcomed the decision.

“We are very grateful to the European Tour for supporting this, and we are excited about it,” he told AFP.

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“The game has moved on, golf fashion has moved on, and even the weather here in Africa has changed.

“We are playing under beautiful sunshine, and as long as the dress code conforms with that of the club, then I think it will look very good.”

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