Canon SA proudly part of 2016 Nedbank South African SA Disabled Golf Open

Issued by The Mail Room for Canon
Johannesburg, 24 May 2016

Daniel Slabbert, multiple Nedbank SA Disabled Golf Open champion. Slabbert faced a power-packed line-up of international stars at the 2016 Nedbank SA Disabled Golf Open at Zwartkop Country Club from 2 to 4 May 2016. The leg amputee has won the tournament four times, including last year.

In May, disabled golfers from around the world assembled at Zwartkop Country Club, in Pretoria, South Africa for the prestigious Nedbank Disabled Golf Open. The event is organised annually by the South African Disabled Golf Association (SADGA) of which Canon SA is a proud sponsor.

It was American Chad Pfeifer who shot a final round one-over-par 72 to win by one shot. Runner-up was the 2014 champion from Canada, Josh Williams, with Juan Postigo from Spain returning to take third place. Celebrating a tie in fourth place were Charl Theron from South Africa and leg amputee Manuel de los Santos from the Dominican Republic.

This year's event, from 2 to 4 May 2016, was the 18th official SA Disabled Golf Open, and the 11th year it has been staged in partnership with Nedbank. The international amateur event incorporates golfers of all disabilities, with 30% of the field boasting single-figure handicaps and more than half boasting handicaps of under 18.

Double world one-arm champion, Reinard Schuhknecht, from Vanderbijlpark, was among the 72-strong field contesting for glory at this year's 2016 Nedbank SA Disabled Open at Zwartkop Country Club from 2 to 4 May 2016. The event featured golfers with a variety of disabilities, including leg and arm amputees, the visually impaired and deaf, a couple of paraplegics with spinal cord injuries and several who fall in the Les Autres category, which are athletes with a range of conditions that result in locomotive disorders that don't fit into the traditional classification systems of the established disability groups.

South Africans have historically dominated the tournament, with Ben van Zyl winning the event from 1998 to 2003; Pieter Jansen in 2004; Nico Wentzel in 2008; Iglin Grobler in 2009 and 2010; and Daniel Slabbert from 2011 to 2013, and again last year. SADGA, which hosts the Nedbank SA Disabled Golf Open annually, encourages South Africans with a permanent disability to play and enjoy golf at a social and competitive level.

Canon SA's association with SADGA stems back to 2001 when the company sponsored a small prize for a golf tournament. Since then, its involvement with SADGA has continued to grow and blossom, with its support focusing specifically on SADGA's First Swing initiative. The programme provides golf skills development training for children with disabilities.

In this year's Nedbank SA Disabled Gold Open, there were nine competitors from the First Swing Programme, demonstrating the tremendous success of the initiative in developing disabled golfers.

Canon SA's banners flew high at the 2016 Nedbank SA Disabled Open at Zwartkop Country Club from 2 to 4 May 2016. Pictured here in action this year's champion, Chad Pfeifer.

"Canon considers this to be an extremely worthy cause. SADGA provides great opportunities for them to learn the game of golf and participate in organised events and competitions where they get to pit their skills against other golfers.

"We were thrilled to be part of the 2016 Nedbank SA Disabled Golf Open again this year. It is heartening and gratifying to see these exceptional sportspeople excelling on the course, in particular those up-and-coming golfers from the First Swing programme," says Dana Eitzen, Corporate and Marketing Communications Executive at Canon SA.

Canon Europe

Canon Europe is the regional sales and marketing operation for Canon, represented in 116 countries and employing 17 000 people across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).

Founded in 1937 with the specific goal of making the best quality camera available to customers, Canon's tireless passion for the 'Power of Image' has since extended its technology into many other markets and has established it as a world leader in both consumer and business imaging solutions. Its solutions comprise products, ranging from digital compact and SLR cameras, through broadcast lenses and portable X-ray machines, to multifunction and production printers, all supported by a range of value-added services.

Canon invests heavily in R&D to deliver the richest and most innovative products and services to satisfy customers' creative needs. From amateur photographers to professional print companies, Canon enables each customer to realise their own passion for image.

Canon's corporate philosophy is Kyosei - 'living and working together for the common good'. In EMEA, Canon Europe pursues sustainable business growth, focusing on reducing its own environmental impact and supporting customers to reduce theirs using Canon's products, solutions and services. Canon has achieved global certification to ISO 14001, demonstrating a world-class environmental management standard.

Further information about Canon Europe is available at: www.canon-europe.com.

Canon South Africa

Canon South Africa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Canon Europe, came into being on 4 January 2000. Canon Europe is the regional sales and marketing operation for Canon, represented in 120 countries and employing over 11 000 people across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). Canon Europe invested in South Africa with a view to growing and expanding its market share in the country.

In South Africa, the Canon brand is today synonymous with consistency, driven by the company's passion, imagination, knowledge and, importantly, loyalty to its customers. Canon SA offers a wide range of consumer imaging products and business solutions as well as a variety of large format printers.

Canon technologies are durable, innovative, intuitive, and feature smart and environmentally sustainable designs. Canon invests heavily in R&D and will continue to deliver new and technologically advanced products that cater for a variety of requirements.

In South Africa, Canon will continue to support environmental sustainability by operating responsibly, minimising the impact of its business on the environment and also encouraging a culture of environmental awareness and accountability among its staff, business associates and partners. Canon has also maintained its ISO 14001 environmental accreditation since 2007.

Further information about Canon South Africa is available at: www.canon.co.za.
Canon South Africa is on Facebook and Twitter (@Canon_SA).

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