1984–85 Southern Africa Tour
Golf tour season
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The 1984–85 Southern Africa Tour was the 14th season of the Southern Africa Tour, the main professional golf tour in South Africa since it was formed in 1971.
Mark McNulty (2) Mark McNulty| Duration | 12 December 1984 – 17 March 1985 |
|---|---|
| Number of official events | 10 |
| Most wins | Mark McNulty (2) |
| Order of Merit | Mark McNulty |
← 1983–84 1985–86 → | |
Season outline
A variety of golfers from South Africa and Zimbabwe had success at the beginning of the season. At the first event, Safmarine South African Masters, Tony Johnstone defeated Fulton Allem in a playoff.[1] At the second event, the Goodyear Classic, John Bland birdied the final four holes of regulation and the first playoff hole to defeat Nick Price.[2] Price, however, won the following week at the ICL International.[3] Chris Williams and Gavan Levenson won the next two events.[4][5]
The remainder of the season was dominated by Mark McNulty. At the Swazi Sun Pro-Am he holed a 25 foot birdie putt on the final hole to defeat Simon Hobday by one shot.[6] The following week, at the AECI Charity Classic, Paul Way was victorious by five strokes.[7] The following week, at the Palaboro Classic, McNulty won in a playoff over Hugh Baiocchi.[8] McNulty would go to win the Order of Merit.[9]
Schedule
The following table lists official events during the 1984–85 season.[10]
| Date | Tournament | Location | Purse (R) |
Winner[a] | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Dec | Safmarine South African Masters | Cape | 100,000 | Tony Johnstone (3) | |
| 22 Dec | Goodyear Classic | Transvaal | 100,000 |  John Bland (9) | New tournament |
| 12 Jan | ICL International | Transvaal | 80,000 | Nick Price (4) | |
| 19 Jan | Lexington PGA Championship | Transvaal | 110,000 | Chris Williams (1) | |
| 26 Jan | South African Open | Natal | 100,000 | Gavan Levenson (3) | |
| 2 Feb | Swazi Sun Pro-Am | Swaziland | 80,000 | Mark McNulty (8) | Pro-Am |
| 9 Feb | AECI Charity Classic | Transvaal | 80,000 |  Paul Way (1) | New tournament |
| 23 Feb | Palabora Classic | Transvaal | 100,000 | Mark McNulty (9) | New tournament |
| 2 Mar | Trustbank Tournament of Champions | Transvaal | 100,000 | Simon Hobday (5) | New tournament |
| 17 Mar | Wild Coast Classic | Cape | 100,000 | Ian Palmer (1) |
Unofficial events
The following events were sanctioned by the Southern Africa Tour, but did not carry official money, nor were wins official.
| Date | Tournament | Location | Purse (R) |
Winner | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Dec | Nedbank Million Dollar Challenge | Transvaal | US$1,000,000 |  Seve Ballesteros |
Limited-field event |
Order of Merit
The Order of Merit was based on prize money won during the season, calculated in South African rand.[9]
| Position | Player | Prize money (R) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mark McNulty | 57,750 |
| 2 | Simon Hobday | 42,040 |
| 3 | John Bland | 37,586 |
| 4 | Gavan Levenson | 32,792 |
| 5 | Phil Simmons | 28,977 |
Notes
- The number in brackets after each winner's name is the number of Southern Africa Tour events they had won up to and including that tournament. This information is only shown for Southern Africa Tour members.