MONTHS of speculation were laid to rest yesterday when the South African Golf Association (Saga) named Durban Country Club as the venue for the 100th SA Open golf championship.

Humewood Golf Club had been touted in some circles as being the venue to host the centenary championship, especially after Leisurecorp, owned by Dubai World, opted not to renew their three-year sponsorship of the event.

Following the huge success of the South African Open at Humewood in 2006, which saw record crowds line the fairways of the links, SA Airways chief executive Khaya Ngqula announced that the national carrier would bring the championship back to Humewood in 2010.

But that promise was dealt a bitter blow when SAA pulled the plug on their sponsorship before the 2007 edition of the event.

Pearl Valley, which is owned by Leisurecorp, hosted the championship for the last three years and was expected to stage the 2010 event.

The idea was to throw plenty of money at the centenary Open and get all the big names in world golf to participate, but that was before the global financial crunch struck.

This year, no appearance money was on offer and, as result, none of the world’s leading players could be attracted.

Leisurecorp’s withdrawal brought the traditional clubs back into the frame.

And if rumours are to be believed, it seems Durban Country Club pledged R10-million to secure the right to host 2010.

Humewood Golf Club, and perhaps the region as whole, would struggle to come up with that kind of money. The truth is, Humewood were never really in the race.

Mosire Motsei, the chief executive of event promoters Maru Sport, said: “We are delighted to be able to take the South African Open back to the one course in this country which has such close ties with the history of this great championship.

“In association with the province of KwaZulu Natal, we look forward to celebrating 100 years of South African golf history in what is not only a significant sporting year for the championship, but for our country as a whole.”

Durban CC’s par-72, 6111m course is rated as the top course in the country and the second best in the southern hemisphere. It has staged the Open 16 times already, more than any other course, and it first played SA Open host in 1924.

Over the years, SA Open winners have shot some of the lowest scores at Durban CC. The stand-out feat though was John Bland’s 62 in the 1993 SA Open, an 18-hole record for the tournament.

The winner at the 1993 event was Tony Johnstone who carded a 21-under-par 267 to set a championship record, but that mark has since been eclipsed by Ernie Els in 2006 when he carded a 24-under-par 264 at Humewood Golf Club in Port Elizabeth.

Some of South Africa’s greats have fond memories of Durban, none more so than the legendary Gary Player, one of greatest players in the history of the game. The “Black Knight” won the first of his record 13 SA Open titles there in 1956.

In 1969, he scored a championship winning 15-under-par 273 there which was an SA Open record at the time.

South Africa lost its grip on the world’s second oldest national golf championship when Scotsman Richie Ramsay lifted the title on Sunday after South Africans had annexed the title for the past seven years.

However, in view of the historical significance of the 2010 tournament, all the superstars, including South Africa’s leading globe-trotters, are likely to attend the European Tour co-sanctioned event in an attempt to lay their hands on golf’s second oldest trophy.

One of South Africa’s best ever golfers, Retief Goosen, confirmed at the recent Gary Player Invitational that he would play in the 2010 SA Open.