It’s the week of the Nedbank Golf Challenge, and Europe’s Ryder Cup star Tommy Fleetwood – the winner of the last two editions of ‘Africa’s Major’ – is gunning for a hat-trick of wins at the plush Gary Player Country Club at Sun International’s playground, Sun City.
The tournament will get under way on Thursday morning and as usual, golf enthusiasts are preparing for what is known as the best weekend of golf, festivities and entertainment.
Nedbank and Sun International go out of their way to make it a memorable one, and with the line-up of stars participating, it looks like it’s going to be one for the books.
Englishman Fleetwood, who has taken a liking to the Gary Player design layout after his past two wins, will go for what no other player has achieved in the long history of the event.
After the tournament’s two-year hiatus due to Covid-19, Fleetwood returned to Sun City last year to claim his sixth DP World Tour title and first since he won at the Gary Player Country Club three years ago.
At the end of a thrilling final day battle down the stretch, Fleetwood pipped Ryan Fox to victory after his participation earlier in the week was in question due to illness.
The 32-year-old, who first won the Nedbank Golf Challenge title in a playoff against Marcus Kinhult, will now look to emulate South African great Ernie Els as a three-time champion.
“Nobody has ever won this event three times in a row, so I can’t wait to give that a go,” he said.
Will he be able to tame the Gary Player Country Club course and grab what has become an elusive hat-trick of wins?
Fleetwood will start at 11.10am today with Max Homa from America and Louis de Jager from South Africa.
Homa has won six PGA titles and has two wins at Korn Ferry.
The American is looking forward to his debut in South Africa and appreciates the opportunity to see some of Sun City’s attractions during his brief visit.
Like Fleetwood, Homa played in this year’s Ryder Cup for the beaten USA team.
Unlike before, the Nedbank Golf Challenge field has been expanded to 66 players, has $6 million in prize money, offers 7,000 Race to Dubai points and guarantees that the top 50 in the final Order of Merit of the DP World Tour will receive the opportunity to qualify for the season-ending Tour Championship in Dubai.
Among the 66 players at Sun City this week is Sunshine Tour Order of Merit winner Ockie Strydom.
Strydom are joined by Thriston Lawrence – a two-time DP World Tour winner this season – and they are among six South African players in the field hoping for success on home soil.
The other South Africans on the field were Zander Lombard and Hennie du Plessis.
Adrian Meronk is the highest-ranked player on the Race to Dubai leaderboard, in third place, after edging Ryan Fox to win his third title of the season at the Andalusia Masters last month.
South African legend Gary Player has been associated with the event since its inception in 1981, when he was part of the first five-player field.
From next year, the event will be held officially in honor of the nine-time major champion in recognition of his contribution to world football, as it returns to its traditional December date – as part of the Race to Dubai 2025, where it will take place location stay for the next two years.
Branden Grace is the last South African to win this tournament, in 2017, followed by Trevor Immelman in 2017.