Eugene Marugi, a gifted golfer whose talent took him from a sheep herder to a place on the Sunshine Tour and even an appearance on the Old Course in St Andrews in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, sadly passed away in July.
In a statement, the Sunshine Tour declared, "The Sunshine Tour is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of professional Eugene Marugi (Maroga). Eugene was a gifted member of the Sunshine Tour whose incredible talent for the game of golf took him from humble beginnings to a place on the Sunshine Tour where he was a respected and well-liked professional since 2003. Our thoughts are with his family during this difficult time."
It was a chance encounter with the Pilgrim’s Rest Golf Club in Mpumalanga that sparked Marugi’s interest in the game. After beginning his career as a caddie there, he was spotted by the South African Golf Development Board (SAGDB) and began to compete on the South African amateur circuit. He turned professional in 2003 and earned his place on the Sunshine Tour where he had three top-10s and finished a career-high 70th on the 2006/07 Order of Merit.
