The South African Open Championship this week announced the launch of the South African Open Charity Challenge which will take place on Monday 1 December, in association with 567 CapeTalk. This event aims to raise more than R200,000 for the Pebbles Project through the sale of corporate four-balls.

Prior to this year's eagerly awaited South African Open, to be held from 18 to 21 December at Pearl Valley Golf Estates, the golf course will be opened exclusively for the South African Open Charity Challenge. This charity fun day will provide organisations an opportunity to raise money for charity and play the Jack Nicklaus-designed, 170-hectare championship golf course for the last time before this year's eagerly awaited, world-class line up of Pros arrive.

The South African Charity Challenge marks the start of the South African Open's support of the Pebbles Project, a charity committed to enriching the lives of children with special educational needs in the Western Cape. This first fundraising event will see the purchase of a mobile toy library, believed to be the first of its kind in the Western Cape.

Sophia Warner, Director of the Pebbles Project, said that it was a great way for the organisation to start a committed long-term relationship with the South African Open.

"This venture will have a tremendous impact on the children that we serve, in which 200 children will have access to a new toy every fortnight", she said.

According to Mosire Motsei, Managing Director of Maru Sport, the Promoter of the South African Open Championship, this is the first time that the national championship has officially partnered with a charitable organisation.

"We are thrilled to be able to support the Pebbles Project, the South African Open's first charity partner. We hope this will be the beginning of a very fruitful relationship and that this year's Charity Challenge, our first fundraising event, will raise our goal of R200,000 to help purchase the mobile toy library."

David Spencer, CEO-Golf for Leisurecorp, the owners of Pearl Valley Golf Estates, encouraged CapeTalk listeners to support the charity initiative.

"We hope that golfers of all ages and levels will come down and support this worthy cause. This is a great opportunity to experience the spectacular championship course at Pearl Valley Golf Estates, before we welcome an impressive world-class field of international golf stars."

567 CapeTalk station manager, Colleen Louw said: "We are very proud to be presenting this fun Charity Golf Challenge. Giving back to the community is an integral part of our mandate and we feel privileged to be able to support the Pebbles Project and to help enrich the lives of children with special educational needs."

PACKAGE PRICES
Golf package per fourball - R12 500.00 excluding VAT

(includes South African Open branded merchandise, green fees, cart hire, catering throughout the day in addition to the prize giving dinner)

For further information please contact Zaida Peck at Maru Sport on (011) 444 9400 or zaida@maru.co.za.

SOUTH AFRICAN OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP DETAILS
The South African Open Championship takes place at Pearl Valley Golf Estates from 18-21 December 2008. The illustrious field at this year's event includes Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, defending champion James Kingston, Master's champion Trevor Immelman, Lee Westwood, Darren Clarke, Rory McIlroy and reigning European Tour Order of Merit Champion Justin Rose, who have all confirmed that they will compete for the second oldest national Open Championship in golf, which will carry a total minimum prize fund of €1 million this year.

For more information on the Pebbles Project visit www.pebblesproject.co.za. For any additional information visit www.southafricanopen.com.