The host venue of this week’s Sunshine Tour event had six of the nine greens on the back nine vandalized and damaged by a group of disgruntled former employees, according to players and officials at Wild Coast Sun Country Club in Port Edward, South Africa.
The vandalism, which took place overnight Saturday, resulted in an incredible effort by the maintenance and Tour staffs to get the course ready for the tournament that is slated to begin on Wednesday.
Sunshine Tour player Michael Hollick posted to his Facebook account, “The local community near the Wild Coast Sun weren’t happy about something so what do they do, they go onto the golf course and dig up the last 6 greens!” he wrote. “Boggles my mind what goes through the heads of some people. Apparently there were some staff fired for illegal striking this past week and this was their retaliation.”
Local community dig up the greens at the Wild Coast Sun last night! We were meant to be playing a @Sunshine_Tour event this week! Local community has just affected about R400 000 being spent in the area in fees to caddies, Clubhouse staff and tourism…. pic.twitter.com/bRF1XRKVFq
— michael hollick (@mikehollick) August 19, 2018
“A group of individuals [used] spades to damage sections of the course, including a number of the greens,” Sun International said in a statement. “There were no witnesses to the incident, but messages left on some of the course flags indicated that this was the beginning of further planned action.”
Disgusting! Taken this morning, and a @Sunshine_Tour event begins Wed at the Wild Coast. #Unjustified pic.twitter.com/AnfbvTp39U
— Dean Grove (@GroverGP) August 19, 2018
Despite the severe damage, as of Monday morning, the greens were repaired and looked phenomenal, all things considered.
Pretty phenomenal effort today by everyone involved!! @golfatsun @Natethegate @olliebekkergolf #WildCoastSun @Sunshine_Tour pic.twitter.com/7Vmc72GfKV
— michael hollick (@mikehollick) August 19, 2018
The Sun Wild Coast Sun Challenge will start on Wednesday and conclude on Friday.
