The four-day event, scheduled to be played at the highly-rated East London Golf Club, will kick off with a Pro-Am on Wednesday January 14.

Grant Wilson, the Sunshine Tour's chief operating officer, told the Pretoria NBews this week that the event has generated much excitement among Sunshine Tour players as well as attracting an impressive contingent of international names.

In only it's second year, the Africa Open is expected to attract a formidable field, and Wilson believes that momentum will continue in the future now that negotiations are well under way for the 2010 Africa Open to possibly be co-sanctioned by the European PGA Tour.

He said: "With an increase of prize fund to R5 million, The Africa Open has become one of the more important events on our schedule.

The Sunshine Tour is proud to be associated with Buffalo City and the Amatola region and we are excited about presenting a golf tournament of international stature at East London Golf Club in January."