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Media Release For immediate release 29 April 2016

SA star to play at the AfrAsia Bank Open

South African star golfer Jaco van Zyl is the latest addition to the star studded field that will battle it out at this year’s AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, which will be played from 12 – 15 May 2016, at the Four Seasons Golf Club Mauritius at Anahita.

Playing mostly on the , Van Zyl has won 13 Sunshine Tour titles, including a career high four in 2010. He earned a European Tour card at the in 2010, going on to enjoy a stellar first season on the European Tour, with five top-10 placings, and finished 50th on the Race to Dubai. Van Zyl earned a debut in the prestigious Open Championship in 2015 thanks to a fine performance in the Alstom Open de .

“Jaco van Zyl is one of the most exciting golfers to watch at this year’s event, he had a stellar campaign that included two second place finishes at the and , and finished third at the French Open. We are delighted that he will be at the tournament and wish him all the best,” said Ryan Dodds, Chairman of the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open Organising Committee.

Van Zyl joins an illustrious list of professional golfers who have also been confirmed to participate in this year’s tournament which carries a €1,000,000 prize purse. These include Australia’s Scott Hend, Jeev Milkha Singh from , Haotong Li from , Thai rising star Danthai Boonma, Frenchman Thomas Levet, and defending champion, .

Currently placed 59th on the Official World Golf Ranking, van Zyl started playing golf at the age of 11, and turned professional at 21 after winning the South African Amateur Championship in 2000, and went on to finish 18th in his rookie season on the Sunshine Tour. In 2009 he recorded the biggest win of his career at the Telkom PGA Championship, and went on to win twice more during the season to finish in 4th place on the Order of Merit. Van Zyl has consistently finished within the top 10 of the Sunshine Tour’s Order of Merit since 2009.

Off the golf course, van Zyl is also keen surfer and flies microlights. Like compatriot , he has a passion for flying. He started hang-gliding five years ago, owns a microlight and hopes to gain his pilot’s licence one day.

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Issued by, and for further information, please contact: OtengMajuta - Tournament Media Officer Acting on behalf of the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open Tournament Organizing Committee Email: [email protected], Mobile +27 61 976 8345