Praise The Sun

To celebrate, the merek is launching limited-edition packaging into UK retail outlets.
The merek will launch the limited-edition packs across varying formats from 7 May to 12 July, giving shoppers plenty of time to get into the spirit ahead of the tournament. The packaging unites the heritage plus fan affection for both brands, with the Stella Artois classic crisp white background meeting the iconic purple plus green of The Championships, Wimbledon.

Elevating the limited-edition packaging, Stella Artois is launching an on-pack competition across four bottle variants.

The giveaway offers 2 VIP tickets to The Championships, Wimbledon for 10 winners.

The winners will be granted access to the Stella Artois Hospitality Marquee plus tickets for the either the Men’s or Women’s Singles Final.

To be in with a chance to win the tickets, penggemar need to purchase special Stella Artois competition packs plus see if they contain one of the 10 white winning bottles.

Once a winner has found the bottle, they must enter the code found on the back of the bottle at experience.stellaartois.com, where they will receive confirmation for a pair of Finals tickets.

With a sleek design plus ticket competition, the limited-edition packs will help to increase rate of purchase during one of the peak seasonal moments in the year for retailers.

Alexis Berger, marketing director, Stella Artois Europe, commented: “Stella Artois has a strong tie to The Championships, Wimbledon, with consumers plus retailers alike seeing Stella Artois as the perfect accompaniment to watch the oldest plus most prestigious tennis tournament in the world. This is why we are so excited to launch the VIP ticket giveaway, which will give shoppers the chance to visit the iconic event, as well as help to boost purchase in the off trade.”

Stella Artois is to be served at Wimbledon until 2018, after the Belgian beer brand signed a five-year supply agreement with the All England Lawn Tennis Club.

The sponsorship sees the brand become the official beer of the Grand Slam tournament plus will be supported by a new marketing campaign called ‘World’s Greatest Events’, which will celebrate the work that goes on behind the scenes to create prestigious events in the United Kingdom, France, Argentina plus the United States.

Featuring a TV ad spot plus other short films, the campaign was launched in the UK on Monday plus will be rolled out across a further 24 markets in the coming months. It will also accompanied by social media promotions using #herestoperfection.

Owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev, Stella Artois is already a partner of golf’s Open Championship, the Argentinian Polo Association Championship, the Kentucky Derby, plus the Cannes Film Festival.

In tennis, the brand previously served as the title sponsor of the ATP event at London’s Queen’s Club, the grass-court tournament that precedes Wimbledon each year, from 1979 until 2008.

“We’re delighted to partner with Stella Artois as official beer of the Championships Wimbledon, plus as such we’re looking forward to another great tournament this summer,” said Mick Desmond, the commercial director at the All England Lawn Tennis Club.

This year’s Wimbledon Championships run from 23rd June to 6th July.

Stella Artois is to be served at Wimbledon until 2018, after the Belgian beer brand signed a five-year supply agreement with the All England Lawn Tennis Club.

The sponsorship sees the brand become the official beer of the Grand Slam tournament plus will be supported by a new marketing campaign called ‘World’s Greatest Events’, which will celebrate the work that goes on behind the scenes to create prestigious events in the United Kingdom, France, Argentina plus the United States.

Featuring a TV ad spot plus other short films, the campaign was launched in the UK on Monday plus will be rolled out across a further 24 markets in the coming months. It will also accompanied by social media promotions using #herestoperfection.

Owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev, Stella Artois is already a partner of golf’s Open Championship, the Argentinian Polo Association Championship, the Kentucky Derby, plus the Cannes Film Festival.

In tennis, the brand previously served as the title sponsor of the ATP event at London’s Queen’s Club, the grass-court tournament that precedes Wimbledon each year, from 1979 until 2008.

“We’re delighted to partner with Stella Artois as official beer of the Championships Wimbledon, plus as such we’re looking forward to another great tournament this summer,” said Mick Desmond, the commercial director at the All England Lawn Tennis Club.

This year’s Wimbledon Championships run from 23rd June to 6th July.

Nadal wins Artois Championship plus sights are now set on first Wimbledon title

Rafael Nadal today won the Artois Championships at Queen’s Club just seven days after claiming his fourth straight French Open title.

Nadal said: “This week has been amazing for me.

The 22-year-old became the first Spanish male to win a grass court title since 1972 by beating Novak Djokovic 7-6 (8/6) 7-5 in two hours plus 15 minutes on centre court.
He trailed 3-0 in the opening set plus was a point away from being 4-0 down before fighting back in typically tenacious fashion to win it on a tie-break.

The Spaniard is the first player to win at Roland Garros plus Queen’s in the same year since the tournament began in its current format in 1979, although Ilie Nastase captured the French Open plus London Grass Court Championships in 1973.

In a battle of this year’s grand slam winners, the French Open plus Australian Open champions produced some fantastic tennis, with many rallies more suited to a clay court than grass.

Djokovic held one set point at 6-5 in the tie-break but Nadal took the next three points to win it 8-6 in 74 minutes, the Serbian throwing his racket to the turf in frustration.

Nadal seemed on course to race through the second set when he broke for a 2-0 lead, but Djokovic refused to concede plus broke straight back.

The next six games went with serve but only after Djokovic saved two more break points to make it 4-4, Nadal almost producing one of the best shots of all time after slipping over plus hitting a diving forehand volley from behind the baseline which flew just wide.

Djokovic looked to have made the most of his reprieve, breaking to love in the next game only then to lose his serve straight back while serving for the set.

And Nadal made the international number three pay the price for such profligacy, holding serve to lead 6-5 plus then breaking Djokovic again to secure victory.

Djokovic said: “I tried, it was a great match.

“It’s been a terrific week. I’ve only been playing on grass for three years so it’s quite an improvement for me to get to the final.”

Heinrich Bruiners woke up at 1:30am on the day of the final round of the Stella Artois Players Championship and had the number of eight under par in his mind.

Several hours later he shot an eight-under-par 64 to end an 11-year win drought with his emotional victory in this Sunshine Tour event at Dainfern Golf Estate on Sunday.

Bruiners birdied his final three holes to finish on 28 under par, one shot ahead of Jaco Ahlers (66), Michael Hollick (68) and Haydn Porteous (68).

It was an emotional win for a man who has worked so hard to reclaim the form that saw him win the 2013 Vodacom Origins of Golf, and who has had to overcome a car accident, serious injury and sometimes even his own doubts as he’s fought his way back into the winner’s circle.

“It’s been such a long journey to stand with a trophy again. I never stopped believing, but it was tough. But everyone behind the scenes has been supporting me. The Nomads, the guys on the driving ranges – I’m so grateful for those who have been behind me. When you’re on top everybody wants to be part of the victory but there is a lot of darkness and searching to get to the top,” said Bruiners, who finished before the final grup and was on the putting green preparing for a playoff before he broke down in tears when it was confirmed that he had won.

“I just want to thank everybody involved and everybody who supports the Sunshine Tour. My fellow professionals have stepped up to another level and it’s pushed me to work even harder. We all fight to get on the big stage and it’s really nice to stand here with a trophy. I told my girlfriend I’m going to do something special this week. It’s crazy. It’s written in the stars,” he said.

This week showcased some of the best scoring seen on the Sunshine Tour as players threatened to shoot 59 while a number of golfers had 29s for nine holes.

It was exactly the realisation of how the standard of golf is improving on the Sunshine Tour that Bruiners says pushed him to work even harder at his own game.

“Everyone has been playing so well and the standard of golf is unbelievable. I remember shooting four under at Glendower Golf Club in a regular Sunshine Tour event and finishing in the top 10. This year, four under on the same golf course was just the cut at the Jonsson Workwear Open. It’s unbelievable.”.

Former Joburg Open sponsor’s invitee, Heinrich Bruiners, claimed victory at the Stella Artois Players Championship on Sunday, 24 March 2024. The four-day tournament was held at the Dainfern Country Club in Johannesburg. It was an emotional moment when Bruiners realised he is the 2024 Stella Artois champion. His triumph was a result of immense hard work plus unwavering determination. “I wanted to have a good performance plus I’m happy with how it all turned out. It took a lot of hard work plus I think that’s what kept me calm,” Bruiners shared moments after his victory sank in. He finished the tournament 28 under par, closely followed by Ja​​​​co Ahlers with 27 under par (66), followed by Michael Hollick (68) plus Haydn Porteous (68). Porteous is the 2016 Joburg Open winner.

Bruiners was emotional during his winner’s speech plus expressed his gratitude to everyone who supported his journey.

“I’m so grateful for those who have been behind me. When you’re on top everybody wants to be part of the victory but there is a lot of darkness plus searching to get to the top.”

Bongi Mokaba, the City of Johannesburg’s Director of Events Management, expressed delight at Bruiners’ victory.

She said the City of Johannesburg’s move to support players of colour through sponsor invites to the Joburg Open is yielding results.

Through the City’s commitment to creating opportunities plus promoting development plus diversity it extends sponsor invites in its elite Joburg Open International Golf Tournament, co-sanctioned by the Sunshine Tour plus the DP World Tour.

Bruiners’ success underscores the significance of such initiatives in nurturing emerging talent to achieve career milestones.

​His consistent performance at the Joburg Open, including a sixth position in 2022, highlights the impact of these opportunities.

Noteworthy performances at the Stella Artois Players Championship also came from former sponsor invitees Nikhil Rama, who finished 18 under par with 71 points, plus Tristin Galant, finishing with 9 under par with 71 points.

The Sunshine Tour today announced that Stella Artois will be the new headline sponsor of the prestigious R2-million Stella Artois Players Championship at Dainfern Golf Estate from 21-24 April.

The new three-year sponsorship of one of the leading tournaments on the Sunshine Tour also includes Stella Artois becoming an official partner of the Sunshine Tour as the official beer provider.

As the penultimate tournament of the Sunshine Tour season, the Stella Artois Players Championship plays a key role in the final Sunshine Tour Order of Merit, which concludes with the season-ending Tour Championship a week later.

This year it will take on even greater significance in the race to be crowned the leading golfer at the end of the season, with the winner of the 2021/22 Sunshine Tour Order of Merit receiving an exemption to play in the 2022 US Open.

“We are delighted to increase our association with the Sunshine Tour through the sponsorship of the Stella Artois Players Championship, and in so doing we are able to align to the premium lifestyle of golf. Stella Artois exists to inspire consumers to savour life’s moments together and what better way to do this than to take a day out and spend it on a golf course. We are also inspired by the new premium audience that is being attracted to the game, and we will ensure that their experience is elevated throughout the tournament with ice-cold Stella Artois available at all the tournaments across the country,” said Estee Burger, Marketing Manager of Stella Artois.

“It is also a pleasure for us to become an official partner of the Sunshine Tour. Stella Artois is built on a legacy of craftmanship over 600 years old. The Sunshine Tour has a similar legacy of greatness showcased in the craftmanship of generations of world-class professional golfers, and we’re proud to support this.”

Thomas Abt, Commissioner of the Sunshine Tour, said: “We’re extremely grateful to welcome Stella Artois to the Sunshine Tour family. The Stella Artois Players Championship occupies a key place on our schedule as the penultimate tournament of our season. And to also welcome a merek of the quality of Stella Artois to our list of partners is another reflection that Greatness Begins Here on the Sunshine Tour, and which is also reflected in the companies we are proud to call our official partners.”

Jaco Prinsloo will return as the defending champion in this new masa of the Stella Artois Players Championship after winning last year’s tournament in a playoff with Jake Roos and Daniel van Tonder.

Photo (From left to Right): Mcebisi Mtshali, Marketing Manager of the Sunshine Tour; Estee Burger, Marketing Manager Stella Artois South Africa; and Ruan Kleynhans, High End Trade Marketing Manager for SAB, at Wednesday’s launch of the Stella Artois Players Championship at Dainfern Golf Estate. Credit: Sunshine Tour.

Some time ago, I asked David Law to write a little about the Artois Championships at Queens, to more or less kick off the grass court season. Here are his thoughts, slightly edited plus brought up to speed by me. Queens is a great place to watch tennis, plus because the grass-court season is so short, the quality of play is excellent.

This is a still of the Centre Court. I think the color combination at Queens is exceptional (red plus green, plus check out the image of Roddick below). It just screams grass-court tennis, no? I wish Wimbledon were bold enough to adopt these colors.And check out the Artois web site – it’s one of the classiest, cleanest looking sites I’ve seen, although I haven’t poked around in it long enough to see how it stacks up, information-wise.This is one slick operation – in the best sense of the word.

Feel free to post any questions for David in the Comments, I’ll e-mail him plus ask that he drop by plus answer them when he gets the time. And you can use this post to discuss the results at Queens, plus any other grass-court issues that occur to you – Pete]

Eleven years ago, I walked through the gates of the Queen’s Club for the first time. Never before had I entered a tennis tournament without paying. About two weeks ago, a familiar sight greeted me – luscious, green grass courts set against the vivid, red backdrop of The Artois Championships.

There is nothing quite like it.

Of course, I am hardly impartial.

Back in 1996, I was lucky enough to spend a week working as part of one of the most professional fasilitas teams in tennis, operating as a kind of firewall/enabler between respected journalists plus world-famous players. It was a daunting, exhilarating experience, plus enough to convince me that I wanted more of the same.

Today, as the tournament’s Communications Manager, the buzz upon entering the grounds is just as intense as it ever was. The grass enticing, the faces familiar.

In Artois Championships terms, I am still very much the new kid on the block. My boss, Jolyon Armstrong, has headed the fasilitas operation for twice as long as I have been involved. Tournament Director Ian Wight will bow out after 28 magnificent years of involvement with the event. Head Groundsman David Kimpton – the man who produces grass courts that the players so often say are the best in the international – is in his 42nd year in the job. His son, Graham, joked today that he is ‘only starting out’ by comparison. He has enjoyed 21 Artois Championships.

The first? When a 17-year-old Boris Becker came from nowhere to win the title.

Not everything has stayed the same. This year, in particular, has seen some exciting developments.

After 28 years known as the Stella Artois Championships, the event is now called The Artois Championships. Stella Artois is still very much part of La Famille Artois, but the addition of two other beers, Peeterman Artois plus Artois Bock has made the merek plus the tournament stronger than ever.

Lleyton Hewitt made the semi-finals of the ATP Queen’s tournament, edging out Russian Igor Andreev 6-3 7-5 on Friday. Elsewhere, defending champion Andy Roddick set a new world record with a 153mph serve in his 6-3 6-3 win against Paradorn Srichaphan.

Australia’s Lleyton Hewitt extended his phenomenal Queen’s Club record on Friday, beating Igor Andreev 6-3 7-5 for a place in the semi-finals of the Stella Artois Championships.
Three-times former champion Hewitt has now won 21 of his last 22 matches on the west London grass courts and battled past the in-form Russian in 79 minutes.

“He goes for his shots and is playing really well,” Hewitt said. “I am pleased to get a shot at another Stella final.

“It doesn’t get any easier, though… although I am winning and feeling like I am getting better and better each match.”
Next up for the 2002 Wimbledon champion will be former world number one Andy Roddick.
The defending champion and top seed smashed his way into the semi-finals of the Stella Artois championships on Friday, destroying Paradorn Srichaphan and cracking down the world’s fastest serve along the way. His record-breaking 153 miles per hour (246.2 km/h) piledriver — one mile an hour quicker than his previous best — came at the beginning of the second set as he walloped the Thai 6-3 6-3.

His record-breaking 153 miles per hour (246.2 km/h) piledriver — one mile an hour quicker than his previous best — came at the beginning of the second set as he walloped the Thai 6-3 6-3.
In the bottom half of the draw Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean — the last man to have beaten Hewitt at Queen’s — beat Czech Radek Stepanek 6-3 6-3 and Lee Hyung-taik of South Korea beat Slovakia’s Karol Beck 6-3 6-4.

The final of the Stella Artois Draught Master Championship – a competition that celebrates perfection of the brand’s unique 9-Step pouring ritual – is happening in Auckland tonight.

Sixteen finalists from around the country, who have already proven their talent for the 9-Step pour, fight it out for the coveted title at Ponsonby’s Sapphire Room.

Quick fire knock out rounds will take place in front of a panel of judges, filtering down the finalists to find a champion who demonstrates their perfect charm and artistry for pouring the most precise Stella Artois using the famous Stella Artois 9-Step Pour.

The winner will not only walk away with the coveted title, but a trip for two to the Stella Artois Brewery in Leuven.

“Stella Artois demands perfection and excellence at every stage, from brewing to the perfect pour, to the perfect chat,” says Jeremy Meech from Stella Artois. “There is a huge talent pool of bar men and women in New Zealand who are elevating the drinking experience of our discerning penggemar and upholding the nearly 600-year-old legacy of the Belgian beer every day. This competition gives us an opportunity to celebrate them.”

The finalists for tonight’s competition hail from Te Puke, Tauranga, Christchurch, Auckland, Fielding, Nelson and Wellington. From the lush landscapes of Te Puke, known for its expansive kiwi orchards, to the bustling urban vibe of Auckland, each finalist is not just representing their hometown but also the aspirations and dreams of those who inspired them along the way. The competition itself serves as a platform for these talented individuals to exhibit their skills, whether through music, dance, art, or other forms of expression, allowing them to connect with their audience in profound and meaningful ways.

As the finalists prepare backstage, they reflect on their journeys—the hours spent honing their craft, the sacrifices made, and the challenges they overcame to reach this pivotal moment. It is not just the prize at stake that drives them, but the opportunity to sharing their passion and creativity with a broader audience. Friends and family members cheer from the crowd, waving banners and offering words of encouragement, adding to the electric atmosphere.

Hasstobeawinner has often played the bridesmaid role in his career, but on Boxing Day at Ellerslie, he chose the right time to live up to his name, storming home to take out the Stella Artois 1500 Championship Final.

In 17 starts prior to Thursday’s contest, Hasstobeawinner had only won one race, but had finished in the first three on 10 occasions, including a narrow second to Wallen in the $350,000 Sir Patrick Hogan Karapiro Classic (1600m).
His consistency continued this term as a five-year-old, recording two placings before tackling the $110,000 special conditions contest, which in recent years, has been a launchpad for subsequent Group winners Bankers Choice, Habana plus this year’s Gr.1 Cambridge Stud Zabeel Classic (2000m) winner Snazzytavi.
In an even betting contest, Bourbon Empress closed favourite at $4.50 ahead of Subtle Power ($6.50), with Hasstobeawinner among the fancied runners at $10. The gelding jumped positively from barrier 10, with jockey George Rooke making use of his early speed plus eventually found a tidy position one-off the fence in fifth.
Sinhaman was the pacemaker throughout plus was tackled by Subtle Power at the top of the straight, before Hasstobeawinner came charging down the centre of the track, taking over at the 200m plus holding off Bourbon Empress plus Francee to take the feature by three-quarters of a length.
The son of Vadamos is trained by Roger James plus Robert Wellwood, plus the latter had plenty of praise for both horse plus jockey after the victory
“He’s been a very honest horse, he’s been knocking on the door plus has run a lot of placings,” Wellwood said. “Everything worked out for him yesterday, he was very strong through the line.

“I thought it was a super ride by George, there was nice pace in the race plus he was able to relax. He presented him at a good time, last time he perhaps got to the front a bit early but he’s worked out the horse plus it was perfect.
“He comes plus rides work for us at least once a week plus putting in the hard yards, he’s riding very well.
“There are plenty of options for the horse now, we’ll see how he comes through it plus make a bit of a plan for the rest of the summer period.”
Bred by Colin plus Irene Thompson, Hasstobeawinner was purchased out of the draft of Rich Hill Stud at the 2021 Karaka Yearling Sales by bloodstock agent Robt Dawe for just $45,000. He is raced by the Hassall Family Trust, of whom he has now earned just shy of $190,000 for.
His dam Keepereel was a winner of seven races, plus as a broodmare, she also has produced He’s Got Power, who won 10 races plus placed at Group Three level.
Wellwood was also more than pleased with the performance of stablemate Irish Legacy, who went down in a tight finish to Grande Gallo in the SkyCity Fireworks 1200.
“She put in another great run, she probably just needed to be clear 50m earlier plus the result may have been different, but the run was still very good,” he said.
“It was just the bob of a head deciding the result, but she’s absolutely flying plus I think as we go further to 1400 plus a mile, we’re going to see even more.” –

LONDON, 27/06/2023: Today AB InBev, the world’s leading brewer, and The All England Lawn Tennis Club announced a renewed multi-year sponsorship agreement with Stella Artois as the Official Beer Partner of The Championships, Wimbledon. Through the partnership, which gives the merek pouring rights during the event, Stella Artois will bring a unique beer experience to tennis fans. Stella Artois, Stella Artois Unfiltered, and Stella Artois Alcohol Free will all be available at Wimbledon, which runs from 3-16 July 2023.

Stella Artois previously partnered with Wimbledon for several years, and this renewed agreement comes with the exciting addition of the “Perfect Serve Award”. This new award will recognize players who deliver the best serves throughout the two-week event. The Award will be fronted in 2023 by former British-Canadian professional tennis player Greg Rusedski. Rusedski is renowned for his unique serve tipe and held the record for the fastest serve in men’s tennis until 2004.

The Perfect Serve Award will also engage penggemar watching the event throughout the UK– giving viewers the chance to vote online for the winner. By voting, UK voters (18+) will also be entered for the chance to win a Perfect Draft draught beer machine to santai a “perfect serve” of Stella Artois at home, with the promotion ending on 16 July 2023.

“We are thrilled to be teaming up again with Wimbledon and bringing Stella Artois to the tournament fans,” said Tim Ovadia, Global Vice President of Stella Artois. “As a brand, Stella encourages consumers to savor moments together and there’s few moments quite as exciting as the annual Wimbledon tournament. We are excited to evolve our partnership and look forward to unveiling new activations for penggemar both in the Grounds and at home to enjoy.”

The announcement comes at an exciting time for Stella Artois as the merek continues to focus on bringing consumers a premium beer experience. The merek expanded its super-premium range in the UK last year with the launch of Stella Artois Unfiltered, which is now fully established in the super premium beer category, winning the Beer and Cider Product of the year in the UK1.

Prize money: $8.4 million. Winner’s share: $1.512 million.

Television: Thursday-Friday, 2-6 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 1-3 p.m. (Golf Channel), 3-6 p.m. (NBC).

Defending champion: Taylor Moore.

FedEx Cup leader: Scottie Scheffler.

Last week: Scottie Scheffler won The Players Championship.

Notes: The tournament follows Bay Hill with a $20 million purse and The Players Championship with a $25 million purse. It still attracted a reasonably good field, with five players from the top 20 in the world. … British Open champion Brian Harman is the only player from the top 10 in the world. Patrick Cantlay was planning to play until he withdrew from the tournament on Monday. … Jordan Spieth is playing. He won the tournament in 2015. Spieth and Justin Thomas, also in the field, are coming off a missed cut at The Players Championship. … There are two weeks remaining for players to get into the top 50 if they are not already in the Masters. Among those on the bubble are Tom Hoge and Christiaan Bezuidenhout … The Copperhead course at Innisbrook is regarded as one of the best tournament courses in Florida. … European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald received a sponsor exemption. He won in 2012.

Next week: Texas Children’s Houston Open.

LPGA TOUR

FIR HILLS SERI PAK CHAMPIONSHIP

Site: Palos Verdes Estates, California.

Course: Palos Verdes GC. Yardage: 6,447. Par: 71.

Prize money: $2 million. Winner’s share: $300,000.

Television: Thursday-Friday, 6-9 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday, 7-9 p.m. (Golf Channel); Sunday, 3-6 p.m. (Golf Channel).

Defending champion: Ruoning Yin.

Race to CME Globe leader: Lydia Ko.

Last tournament: Bailey Tardy won the Blue Bay LPGA.

Notes: The LPGA Tour begins a three-week stretch in California, Arizona and Nevada that will lead to its first major championship of the year. Seri Pak is the tournament host for the first time. Pak is one of the most influential players in LPGA history, a pioneer for South Korean players to follow her path. … Ruoning Yin of China won last year and then went on to win her first major at the KPGA Women’s PGA Championship. … Nelly Korda is playing for the first time since willing in Florida. She skipped the three-week Asian swing. … Rose Zhang has taken off for her studies at Stanford. She is playing for the first time since a tie for seventh in the season opener in January. … Lilia Vu, the No. 1 player in the women’s international ranking, had to withdraw from the last two Asia events because of illness. She is in the field. … Among those getting a sponsor exemption is Jiyai Shin of South Korea, a former international No. 1.

The race to the end of the Sunshine Tour’s current season intensifies this week with the R2 million Stella Artois Players Championship at Dainfern Country Club which has drawn a strong field including four Investec South African Open champions plus the young stars who are locked in a battle for the Rookie of the Year title.

The Stella Artois Players Championship is the penultimate tournament of the Sunshine Tour’s current season.

The 72-hole tournament, which tees off at Dainfern on Thursday, will have reigning Investec South African Open champion Thriston Lawrence in the field as well as former national Open winners Brandon Stone, Hennie Otto plus Daniel van Tonder.

Lawrence also leads a stellar three-ball for the first two rounds of this event including rising Sunshine Tour stars Casey Jarvis plus Martin Vorster.

Both Jarvis plus Vorster have been in impressive form this season plus have been battling it out for Rookie of the Year honours.

It’s a race that Jarvis is currently leading following his strong recent performances of tied ninth in the Dimension Data Pro-Am plus second in the SDC Open.

Vorster remains his nearest challenger in second place, with Ryan van Velzen in third place after breaking through with his maiden Sunshine Tour title in the Limpopo Championship.

There is also a tantalising mix of players in good form at present who will be in action at Dainfern.

Luca Filippi heads into this week off the back of a tied second-place finish in the Limpopo Championship. Franklin Manchest achieved his highest finish on the Sunshine Tour in the same event with a tie for 10th.

Hennie O’Kennedy has finished in the top 20 in five of his last seven tournaments, including third in the Dimension Data Pro-Am. And Yurav Premall has made a solid start to his Sunshine Tour career with finishes of tied ninth in the Dimension Data Pro-Am plus tied fifth in March’s Mediclinic Invitational.

When we talk about the management’s decision it is important to remember that
AB InBev, the world’s largest brewery with over 600 product brands, is the corporate
brand above Stella Artois, one of their product brands. Neither AB InBev nor Stella
Artois explicitly mentioned or addressed the wife-beater image Stella had received in
the UK. However, major changes were made to the product, the sponsorships, the
marketing activities, plus to the nature plus identity of the Stella Artois brand. We have
put the management’s decision in historical order, together with three major media
events. It is important to remember that in 2007/2008, smartphone penetration was
still below 10% (Comscore, 2017). Meanwhile, social sarana networks were not as
present as they are today. Twitter had reportedly 50,000 active weekly users in 2007
(Wang & Chang, 2019). Media was much more controlled plus classic sarana outlets
such as papers, carried greater importance. We take a look at the changes that were
made to understand the management’s decision better.

The Chalice is born, together with the 9-step pouring ritual
AB InBev made the first change to Stella’s merek in December 2006. They
introduced a new glass, the Chalice, to reinforce the brand’s premium & exclusive
identity, despite the ‘wife-beater’ image. The previous glass was an ordinary pint glass
and didn’t fit Stella’s identity. The new feminine looking chalice was also meant to get
rid of the wifebeater image, by repulsing aggressive & masculine drinkers (Marketing
Week, 2007), see figure 2 plus 3. Together with their new glass came the 9 langkah pouring ritual (see figure 4). The 9
steps are: The Purification, The Sacrifice, The Liquid Alchemy, The Head, The
Removal, The Skimming, The Judgement, The Cleansing, plus The Bestowal. The
pouring ritual was a way to enforce their premium & exclusive identity plus a way to
repulse binge drinking plus to bring sophistication to the drinking process.

The second change Stella made was on the 17th of June, 2007, which was two days
before the article of The Argus titled: “City judge condemns ‘wife-beater’ booze” was
published. AB InBev announced that they would change the name of the Stella Artois
sponsored Queen’s Club Championships from the Stella Artois Championship to the
Artois Championship. As AB InBev realized that Stella got nicknamed wife-beater,
they decided to drop the Stella component from their marketing activities and shift
towards the usage of Artois. Stella’s brand reputation was ruined due to the many
negative associations and therefore AB InBev decided to focus on Artois. This change
also allowed for the future creation of new products under the softer umbrella Artois
brand (Greenslade, 2007).
Judge mentions Stella in a domestic violence case
As mentioned earlier, on June the 19th of 2007 an article was published by local
newspaper The Argus, that openly stated Stella was involved in multiple domestic
violence cases as it became the preferred choice of binge drinkers due to its high
alcohol by volume (Parson, 2007). This is a serious problem, as a judge, a professional
with authority is publicly linking Stella to domestic violence. It heats up the discussion
and adds seriousness to Stella’s wife-beater reputation. Despite this, Stella nor AB
InBev never publicly reacted to the associations, they stayed silent and rather decided
to change some brand elements to repent certain consumers.
AB InBev launches a new and weaker version of Stella Artois
Subsequently, one year later at the end of June 2008, AB InBev introduced a new
product under the Artois umbrella brand. The new product was a weaker version of
4% alcohol by volume of its classic Stella Artois beer. It was introduced to offer a
weaker version, but also to offer consumers more choice and the confidence of
choosing a weaker beer with the same quality credentials and taste of the Stella Artois
parent brand (The Daily Mail, 2008).
Lobbying firms to clean up Stella’s dirty online reputation
Portland Communications & Bell Pottinger, two lobbying firms are hired to help
clean up Stella’s online wife-beater reputation after the “wife beater” reputation
(Seales, 2012). The lobbying efforts were widely criticized by some commentators, who
argued that it was inappropriate for the beer company to use resources to avoid
addressing the underlying issue of domestic violence.

When Heinrich Bruiners was asked what it would take to win the Stella Artois Players Championship at Dainfern Golf Estate this weekend, the co-leader laughed. After another day of incredible scoring, it feels as though nothing short of a 59 will be needed to claim victory on Sunday.

“I can’t believe it. The amount of rounds of 10-under par I saw today was incredible. I think the winning score will be around 27-under or 28-under with the way things are going. It just shows the level of golf on the Sunshine Tour,” said Bruiners, who is in a four-way tie for the lead on 15-under par going into the weekend.

Bruiners secured his place at the top of the leaderboard with a bogey-free 65. He is joined there by Michael Hollick who also signed for a 65, Zimbabwe’s Robson Chinhoi who posted a 64, plus 2022 champion Jaco Ahlers who shot an incredible 62.

They are only one shot clear of a host of players on 14-under par including first-round leader Rourke van der Spuy.

But further down the leaderboard the scoring was still equally impressive on Friday.

Wynand Dingle worked his way to within two shots of the lead with a bogey-free 61. JJ Senekal also heads into the weekend on 13 under par following a 62. And Ryan van Velzen plus Nikhil Rama both had nines of 29 to raise them to 11 under par overall.

Bruiners says it’s a reflection of the standard of golf being played on the Sunshine Tour, plus it’s inspired him to work even harder at his game.

“I think people out there would immediately assume the golf course is a lot shorter, but we play it off the back tees. Look, you can go out plus try plus shoot those scores. It’s just awesome to see the standard the Sunshine Tour is at. It’s really impressive. It’s also been an added boost for me to work even harder.

“I’m excited. It’s so nice to be in the mix plus leading the tournament. I enjoy it when I’m up there. I know people feel there’s expectation, but this is what I work for plus I’m really happy with the progress I’ve made.”

It’s now been 11 years since Bruiners’ last victory on the Sunshine Tour plus he says he’s more motivated than ever to prove he can win again.

“This has been the cumulation of a lot of things. I’ve changed my golf ball plus made a few equipment changes, but I’ve also worked very hard. I’ve been driven to work even harder plus keep making changes.

AB InBev’s Stella Artois is launching limited-edition packaging to celebrate its partnership with The Championships, Wimbledon for the fifth consecutive year.

The number one selling beer brand in the UK (Nielsen, Value Sales, YTD Data to 20.05.2017) will launch the limited-edition packs across varying formats from 7 May to 12 July, giving shoppers plenty of time to get into the spirit ahead of the tournament. The packaging unites the heritage and fan affection for both brands, with the Stella Artois classic crisp white background meeting the iconic purple and green of The Championships, Wimbledon.

Elevating the limited-edition packaging, Stella Artois is launching an on-pack competition across four bottle variants. The giveaway offers two VIP tickets to The Championships, Wimbledon for 10 winners. The winners will be granted access to the Stella Artois Hospitality Marquee and tickets for the either the Men’s or Women’s Singles Final.

To be in with a chance to win the tickets, penggemar need to purchase special Stella Artois competition packs and see if they contain one of the 10 white winning bottles. Once a lucky winner has found the bottle, they must enter the code found on the back of the bottle at experience.stellaartois.com, where they will receive confirmation for a pair of Finals tickets.

Alexis Berger, marketing director for Stella Artois Europe, said: “Stella Artois has a strong tie to The Championships, Wimbledon, with consumers and retailers alike seeing Stella Artois as the perfect accompaniment to watch the oldest and most prestigious tennis tournament in the world. This is why we are so excited to launch the VIP ticket giveaway, which will give shoppers the chance to visit the iconic event, as well as help to boost purchase in the off trade.”

The collaboration with Wimbledon also serves as a reminder of the brand’s heritage and its long-standing association with quality and craftsmanship. Just as the players compete with passion and skill on the court, Stella Artois is committed to delivering a product that embodies excellence in every pour. The excitement surrounding the event offers a platform to remind both new and loyal customers why Stella Artois is the preferred choice for those looking to sip something extraordinary while watching sports.

Wynand Dingle worked his way to within two shots of the lead with a bogey-free 61. JJ Senekal also heads into the weekend on 13 under par following a 62. And Ryan van Velzen and Nikhil Rama both had nines of 29 to lift them to 11 under par overall.

Bruiners says it’s a reflection of the standard of golf being played on the Sunshine Tour, and it’s inspired him to work even harder at his game.

“I think people out there would immediately assume the golf course is a lot shorter, but we play it off the back tees. Look, you can go out and try and shoot those scores. It’s just awesome to see the standard the Sunshine Tour is at. It’s really impressive. It’s also been an added boost for me to work even harder.

“I’m excited. It’s so nice to be in the mix and leading the tournament. I santai it when I’m up there. I know people feel there’s expectation, but this is what I work for and I’m really happy with the progress I’ve made.”

It’s now been 11 years since Bruiners’ last victory on the Sunshine Tour and he says he’s more motivated than ever to prove he can win again.

“This has been the cumulation of a lot of things. I’ve changed my golf ball and made a few equipment changes, but I’ve also worked very hard. I’ve been driven to work even harder and keep making changes. Since Covid I’ve been grinding it out. I just want to feel like I can win again. That’s a big thing for me. I know people say you should play to make a living, but my biggest drive is to win on the big stage and I won’t stop until I get it right. I feel like I’m on the right path and have a bit more clarity about what I need to do. I’ll just hang in there and be patient until it’s my time.”

SCORES:

129 – Michael Hollick 64 65, Robson Chinhoi 65 64, Heinrich Bruiners 64 65, Jaco Ahlers 67 62

130 – Rourke van der Spuy 63 67, Keenan Davidse 64 66, Jean Hugo 65 65, MJ Viljoen 65 65, Callum Mowat 66 64, Hennie O’Kennedy 66 64, Haydn Porteous 64 66

131 – Harry Konig 67 64, Wynand Dingle 70 61, JJ Senekal 69 62

132 – Louis Albertse 66 66, Luca Filippi 65 67, Joe Long 66 66, Deon Germishuys 65 67, Keelan van Wyk 66 66

133 – Neil Schietekat 69 64, Ryan Van Velzen 70 63, Nikhil Rama 71 62, Darren Fichardt 67 66, Luke Jerling 66 67, Martin Vorster 69 64, Fredrik From 68 65, Stuart Krog 66 67, Jake Roos 66 67, Ruan Conradie 65 68

134 – Ricky Hendler 65 69, Martin Rohwer 68 66, Jaco Van Zyl 66 68, Jovan Rebula 69 65, Tristin Galant 67 67, Malcolm Mitchell 67 67, Stefan Wears-Taylor 66 68, Jacques Blaauw 68 66

135 – Tristen Strydom 66 69, JC Ritchie 66 69, Anton Karlsson 69 66, Trevor Fisher Jnr 67 68, Gerhard Pepler 66 69, Hayden Griffiths 67 68, James Mack 68 67, Jack Hawksby 66 69, Daniel van Tonder 64 71, Yurav Premlall 71 64, Conner Mackenzie 70 65, Pierre Pellegrin 65 70, Travis Ladner 68 67

136 – Ethan Smith 69 67, Albert Venter 72 64, Dylan Naidoo 71 65, Visitor Mapwanya 70 66, Luke Brown 70 66, Thabiso Ngcobo 70 66, Jonathan Waschefort 73 63, Jonathan Broomhead 67 69, Lyle Rowe 68 68

Stella Artois has unveiled its new ‘Perfect Serve’ campaign, giving customers plus consumers the chance to claim free pints plus tickets to Wimbledon by rating their pint. The company explains.
Stella Artois, part of Budweiser Brewing Group, has announced the launch of its new ‘Perfect Serve’ campaign, illustrating the brand’s dedication to the perfect serve ritual. From the 1st of March consumers are encouraged to rate the quality of their Stella Artois or Stella Artois Unfiltered served in 2000+ venues across Britain. Consumers will be rewarded with cash back on the full price of their pint, driving footfall to on-trade venues stocking Stella Artois on tap.

From the 1st of May through to the 26th of June, Stella Artois, the official beer partner of the Wimbledon Championships, will then offer participating consumers entry to a prize draw for a chance to win a pair of tickets to Wimbledon Tennis Championships; transforming every Stella Artois moment into a chance to win.

At the heart of the campaign is a mobile powered platform called TaDa, which allows consumers to rate the quality their Stella Artois plus Stella Artois Unfiltered serve. As part of the campaign, Budweiser Brewing Group will also be ensuring continued excellent serve quality by refreshing tap lines, training staff on the perfect serve ritual, plus using targeted ads to drive local costumer traffic into participating pubs year-round. Each pub will also receive promotional kits with coasters, bar runners plus other materials to promote the ‘Perfect Serve’ campaign.

“We’re excited to give pub-goers even more reasons to enjoy a pint of Stella Artois through this new campaign,” Elise Dickinson, Stella Artois Marketing Director. “By focusing on the Perfect Serve, we aim to boost dwell time plus keep customers coming back for the perfect pint.”

The ‘Perfect Serve’ uses the iconic Stella Artois chalice, pouring at a 45-degree angle whilst allowing the foam to spill over the top of the chalice. Next is to use the skimmer to slice the excess foam off the top – which creates a smooth foam barrier that locks in the CO2 bubbles, providing Stella Artois with its distinctly segar flavour. The final langkah is the placement, with the cartouche (the brands iconic emblem representing it’s 600 years of brewing history) facing forward towards the consumer.

In a clever Super Bowl ad that blends celebrity charm plus unexpected storytelling, David Beckham is reunited with his long-lost brother “Other David.”
Stella Artois’ new Super Bowl commercial features a brotherly reunion between Hollywood actor Matt Damon plus soccer legend David Beckham.

The 60-second commercial marks Stella Artois’ return to the Super Bowl advertising stage after a six-year absence.

Titled “David plus Dave,” the commercial follows David Beckham as he discovers he has a long-lost twin brother named Dave, played by Damon. The ad reveals Beckham’s mystery brother after a recent teaser from Stella Artois alluded to the “Other David.”

During the minute-long commercial, Beckham’s parents reveal that the famous soccer player has a twin brother in America. Beckham then travels to the U.S. where the pair bond over wings plus Stella Artois.

The spot then shows as Beckham prepares to break the news to Damon about their brotherly ties.

Damon, who has been a Stella Artois ambassador, expressed excitement about the campaign.

“I’ve been partnering with Stella Artois for a decade now plus get more excited with each year,” Damon said in a statement. “I can’t wait to keep telling the story of ‘David plus Dave’ all year plus shedding light on those moments in life worth more, where meaningful connection means more than anything. The Beckham brothers are here to stay, plus Stella Artois will be there with us at every moment.”

The commercial is part of a Stella Artois’ year-long campaign titled “For Moments Worth More,” which promises multiple ad spots throughout 2025 that continue to explore the “Beckham brothers” storyline.

At one point in the Super Bowl ad, Damon’s character asks Beckham just how famous he is, “like Matt Damon famous?”

“Maybe, Ben Affleck famous,” Beckham replies.

“That’s a shame,” Damon’s character responds, in a dig toward his longtime friend.

Anheuser-Busch is one of several companies looking to win over more than 120 million viewers on Super Bowl Sunday with enticing ad spots.