Author: Michael Vlismas

The Gary Player Country Club course is ready to welcome 66 of the world’s top professionals for this week’s Nedbank Golf Challenge, with defending champion Max Homa leading one of the strongest fields in recent history as they battle it out for glory in ‘Africa’s Major’ at Sun City from December 5-8, 2024.

Homa, who last year became one of the few players in the history of the Nedbank Golf Challenge to win on debut, forms part of a strong field of DP World Tour, PGA Tour, Sunshine Tour, Ryder Cup, Presidents Cup and Olympic Games stars gathered for this year’s tournament.

“I’ve been looking forward to coming back here. It’s been great to be the defending champion of this tournament, and to see my name alongside all the others on the walkway up to the ninth green. The ground staff lifting me in the air after my win was quite incredible. I’ve been telling everybody how great this event is, and I’m happy to be back,” said Homa.

The American is seeking to become the eighth player in the history of the tournament to successfully defend his title, and the first American to do so since Jim Furyk in 2005 and 2006.

The world number 35 is joined by fellow American Will Zalatoris as well as the Canadian duo of Corey Conners and Mackenzie Hughes.

“This is my first time in South Africa and I’m looking forward to a great experience here this week. I’m really excited to be here, to travel to a new place and meet new people. I’ve heard so many great things from fellow players on the PGA Tour like Max about this event and South Africa, so it’s a place I really wanted to come to,” said Conners.

Hughes is just as excited to make his debut in this event. “I received the invitation from Gary Player and am honoured to be able to play here. I’ve seen some wildlife on the golf course which has been great. Monkeys on the golf course is not something we see every day on the PGA Tour.”

This year’s field includes half of the top 20 players on last season’s DP World Tour Race to Dubai Rankings.

Thriston Lawrence, the world number 47, leads a strong local challenge that also features Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Erik van Rooyen, Dylan Frittelli, Ockie Strydom and Brandon Stone, while Ryan van Velzen, Robin Williams and Aldrich Potgieter are all experiencing their first taste of a tournament they grew up watching.

They are all seeking to become the first home winner of ‘Africa’s Major’ since Branden Grace in 2017.

“It’s been an unbelievable year for me. I didn’t win but had five second places and a top five in The Open, and it’s still been one of my best seasons,” said Lawrence.

“I’m growing as a golfer and person and becoming more comfortable on tour. Playing with big names like in this event makes you more comfortable just by placing yourself in those situations, and that makes you a better golfer. We have a few tournaments on the Sunshine Tour that we play here, so just knowing the golf course gives you that feeling of calmness out there. It definitely gives you that home advantage.”

Van Rooyen is still driven to win a tournament of which he has fond childhood memories. “I came here as a kid a few times. I watched Ernie (Els) win it once, and watched him lose to Sergio (Garcia) in a playoff. Every time I play here it’s extremely special. Watching this event my whole life, it’s the trophy you want to win as a South African.”

Bezuidenhout is back at a Gary Player Country Club where he won the South African Open in 2020.

“I’ve always liked this golf course. You have to drive it straight here, which is a strong part of my game. I have fond memories here, so hopefully I can tick the box with the Nedbank Golf Challenge this week. I remember coming here for the first time in 2003 as an eight-year-old boy. I always dreamt of playing in the Nedbank Golf Challenge, so it’s always a privilege to come back here now as a player.”

Gary Player will take up his usual position on the first tee box on Thursday, welcoming some of the world’s best players to a tournament that remains very special to him.

“I’m always in awe when I come back to Sun City. I’d like to thank everybody who has played a vital role in this tournament. Golf gives South Africa more publicity than any other sport. We have great golf ambassadors, and last year Max won and spoke so highly of South Africa.”

Charl Schwartzel has confirmed he will return to Leopard Creek this month in search of a record fifth Alfred Dunhill Championship title, adding his name to a glittering array of stars that will walk the fairways of South Africa’s number one ranked golf course from 12-15 December.

The 2011 Masters champion will join defending champion Louis Oosthuizen in a field that includes eight of the last 13 champions of the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek along with Ockie Strydom, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Pablo Larrazabal, Brandon Stone, Richard Sterne and Alvaro Quiros.

PGA Tour winners Erik van Rooyen and Dylan Frittelli as well as multiple DP World Tour champions Thriston Lawrence and Dean Burmester, and rising star Aldrich Potgieter, who has just secured his PGA Tour card for the new season, add to the impressive line-up this year.

The 20-year-old Chinese sensation Wenyi Ding will make his debut in the Alfred Dunhill Championship.

And South Africa’s Altin van der Merwe returns to Leopard Creek where he made history by becoming the first winner of the inaugural Africa Amateur Championship in February this year, after which he later turned professional.

But amongst them all, Schwartzel will be more motivated than ever to add to his already incredible history in this tournament and at this golf course.

Schwartzel already has four Alfred Dunhill Championship titles to his name and still owns the record tournament total of 24 under par and the biggest margin of victory of 12 strokes.

But perhaps even more significant is that he has now finished runner-up five times in this Sunshine Tour and DP World Tour co-sanctioned tournament. His most recent second place was last year when he pushed close friend Oosthuizen right until the final hole before finishing two strokes behind him.

“For me, growing up in South Africa and being privileged to grow up on a farm, I was around big space my whole life. I grew to love nature a lot. Our weekend getaways were always to the bushveld. Everybody has their place they go where they get that calming effect and where you feel like you’re alone in the world. To me the bush does that to me. I love the sounds and the smells. It gives me a lot of peace,” said Schwartzel.

“So that’s why Leopard Creek is so special to me. There is no setting like it in the world – to play golf on the edge of the Crocodile River and the Kruger National Park. It doesn’t get much better than that.” – Michael Vlismas

The Sunshine Tour is headed for one of the most thrilling season conclusions in its history, with the announcement of the new DNi Tour Championship at The Club at Steyn City as the final tournament of the season and the final event on the new The Courier Guy Playoffs series.

The R3 million DNi Tour Championship will take place at The Club at Steyn City from 27-30 March 2025 and will feature the top 50 professionals on the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit, delivered by The Courier Guy, competing for overall season honours as well exemptions into the Majors.

DNi is one of South Africa’s leading investment firms in distribution and technology, with a strong global network in 32 countries. The DNi sponsorship will give South Africa’s top performing professionals everything to play for at the end of the current 2024/25 season.

“DNi is thrilled to be partnering with the Sunshine Tour through the new DNi Tour Championship,” said Dr Ryan Noach, DNi Group Chief Executive Officer.

“Partnering with the best, in this case the leaders of professional golf in South Africa, allows us to expose our employees, our customers and our suppliers to a sport that attracts leaders of industry, and to create lasting memories with them through this unique event.”

Apart from the limited field vying for the attractive R3 million purse, the DNi Tour Championship will also decide the outcome of the final Order of Merit delivered by The Courier Guy.

Upon conclusion of the DNi Tour Championship, the top three professionals on the final Order of Merit delivered by The Courier Guy will all receive DP World Tour cards for the following season.

The first-place finisher on the Order of Merit delivered by The Courier Guy will also receive exemptions into the Nedbank Golf Challenge as well as two Majors – The Open Championship and US PGA Championship – and a R500 000 cash bonus. Second place will earn a R200 000 cash bonus, while the third-place finisher will earn a R100 000 bonus.

“The Sunshine Tour offers a very strong and appealing platform for us to create even greater brand recognition for ourselves and unique exposure for our customers,” said Noach.

“This partnership through the DNi Tour Championship is wholly aligned to what we do. It’s a highly collaborative event, coming at the top end of The Courier Guy Playoffs series, and at the pinnacle of the Sunshine Tour.

“The Sunshine Tour and DNi share a strong strategic alignment around greatness. The Sunshine Tour believes Greatness Begins Here on their fairways. We similarly believe greatness lies in the founders of the businesses that we invest behind. We support these founders and entrepreneurs to grow their businesses, providing financial and strategic across a collaborative ecosystem.”

Thomas Abt, Commissioner of the Sunshine Tour, said: “We are extremely proud to welcome on board DNi as the sponsor of the DNi Tour Championship. DNi as a company has a core philosophy about people and creating opportunities to unlock their inherent greatness that is strongly aligned with our own philosophy that greatness in golf begins on our fairways.”

“DNi are the perfect partner for our season ending event, and the culmination of The Courier Guy Playoffs series as a company that sees value in aligning with the best of our best professionals, and being passionate about not only rewarding them but creating further opportunities for them as well.

“The DNi Tour Championship will result in the most significant end to our Sunshine Tour season that we have had in recent years, and we have no doubt that our fans are going to love what they see that week.”

ST FRANCIS LINKS, Eastern Cape – For the first 36 holes, Pieter Moolman was fighting to make the cut. Over the next 36 holes, Moolman was fighting to win the South African PGA Championship, sponsored by African Bank.

The Benoni golfer capped off a weekend to remember with a one-stroke victory in this prestigious championship, adding his name to a trophy that already bears the names of Gary Player, Ernie Els, Nick Price, Mark McNulty, David Frost, Dale Hayes and many of the other greats of Southern African golf.

Starting the final round three strokes off the lead, Moolman played composed golf and produced a bogey-free 67 to win on 15 under par and go one better than his second place here in 2021.

The 22-year-old Barend Botha, who was one shot off the lead going into the final round, held the lead on his own with a strong front nine. But three bogeys on the tricky back nine gave him a 70 and second place on 14 under par as he came up inches short for birdie on the last to force a playoff with Moolman.

Trevor Fisher Jnr. overcame a double-bogey start and signed for a 70 to take third place on 11 under par, while Senekal settled for fourth on 10 under par with a closing 75.

It was a weekend Moolman will not forget soon as he looked up at the leaderboard from making the cut on the number of par on Friday, and then played the next 36 holes in superb fashion including a course record 62 on Saturday.

“This would’ve been hard to believe after the first two rounds. I didn’t really feel like I was playing well, but then I had a good fight for it over the weekend and here we are,” said Moolman.

“There are some big names on this trophy. I came close a few years ago. To shoot the course record on Saturday and then to win the trophy today, I feel amazing.”

Botha certainly announced himself as a future star of the Sunshine Tour and now has two top-10s in his last two tournaments.

But it was Moolman’s composure on especially the back nine at St Francis Links that really made the difference.

“This golf course is tricky. We didn’t have the normal wind on the final day and the back nine played really tough. The par saves are crucial around here. I wasn’t really watching the leaderboard. I think I saw it on 15 and 16, but from there on it’s just golf. You need to hit the shot you have in front of you and hope for the best. I’m just thankful I did it,” he said.

The South African PGA Championship was also proudly supported by the Eastern Cape Parks & Tourism Agency (ECPTA), the Sarah Baartman District Municipality, the Kouga Local Municipality, Momentum and Cape St Francis Resort.

ST FRANCIS LINKS, Eastern Cape – JJ Senekal will be chasing a place in the history of the South African PGA Championship, sponsored by African Bank, as he takes a one-stroke lead into Sunday’s final round at St Francis Links.

Senekal signed for a 68 on Saturday to lead on 13 under par, one stroke clear of Barend Botha, who posted a 70. CJ du Plessis is currently third on 11 under par following a 70 of his own.

Pieter Moolman produced a course record 62, including a front nine of 29, and with not a single bogey on his card to climb to 10 under par overall. Even more impressive is that Moolman had made the halfway cut on the mark of par before his course record on Saturday, and he left the golf course and immediately treated himself to a shot of The Glenlivet 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

It will be an intriguing final round, with some wind expected to test the field.

Senekal tees off with the experience of having won three times, including on the European Challenge Tour. He also has fond memories of St Francis Links having won his first Sunshine Tour title here in 2013, and he finished third in the South African PGA Championship in 2014. His performance this week in particular has been a much-needed boost in confidence following his struggles with injury over the past few months.

But behind him, the future of South African golf is also lining up a possible place alongside some of the legends on this trophy.

Botha impressed all with his two victories on the PGA Tour Americas this year, which has earned him playing privileges on the Korn Ferry Tour. The 22-year-old came into this week with a sixth-place finish in last week’s Vodacom Origins of Golf at Oubaai, and clearly has the mental fortitude to manage a final round battle on this stage. He started his third round with a double bogey six on the first and managed to regroup thereafter to remain in contention.

Wynand Dingle, who led the tournament for two days, had a difficult day on Saturday. Dingle dropped to seven under par overall with a third round of 76, including an eight on the par-five 13^th hole.

The South African PGA Championship is also proudly supported by the Eastern Cape Parks & Tourism Agency (ECPTA), the Sarah Baartman District Municipality, the Kouga Local Municipality, Momentum and Cape St Francis Resort.

ST FRANCIS LINKS, Eastern Cape – Wynand Dingle held onto his lead in the South African PGA Championship, sponsored by African Bank, at St Francis Links on Friday and heads into the weekend determined to put his intense hard work over the past few months to good use.

Dingle signed for a second round of 68 to lead the field on 11 under par. The son of the Karoo is one stroke clear of young star Barend Botha and multiple Sunshine Tour winner Rourke van der Spuy. Botha produced a magnificent 64 on Friday, while Van Der Spuy posted a 66.

Dingle has been here before in his career. He led the 2014 South African PGA Championship by three strokes going into the weekend. This time, he’s determined to use his experience and add his name to the illustrious list of champions in this tournament.

“My game feels good, the swing feels good, and I’m hitting the ball well,” he said.

“I’m putting well. I made a change to my putting grip a week ago and I feel confident. I’m looking forward to the weekend.”

But it’s the hours and hours of practice Dingle has put in which he feels is now showing the greatest reward.

“I’ve worked so hard over the past few months, and it’s beginning to pay back now. I worked on my putting in particular and took a bit of advice from here and there on this aspect of my game. So I feel good. This is such a prestigious tournament and there are so many great names on this trophy. I’d love to add mine to that list as well.”

Behind him, Botha is certainly showing his potential. He finished sixth in last week’s Vodacom Origins of Golf Final at Oubaai and is now firmly in contention going into the weekend at St Francis Links.

And JJ Senekal remains in contention as well just two shots off the lead on nine under par. Senekal’s second round of 68 was a morale booster for a professionals who’s battled his way back from injury. And clearly he’s drawing on the memories of returning to a St Francis Links course where he won his first Sunshine Tour event in 2013, and to an SA PGA Championship in which he finished third in 2014.

“It’s a good feeling and this is a place I like. I always play decent around here. The last year-and-a-half has been a challenging time with injury but I’ve fought through it. It’s a grind but we all know that and we’re all up for it. It’s part of the journey of where we want to get to. It’s an honour to be where I am right now and it would be an even greater honour to get my name on that trophy,” he said.

The South African PGA Championship is also proudly supported by the Eastern Cape Parks & Tourism Agency (ECPTA), the Sarah Baartman District Municipality, the Kouga Local Municipality, Momentum and Cape St Francis Resort. – Michael Vlismas

ST FRANCIS LINKS, Eastern Cape – Wynand Dingle plays the guitar as well as he plays golf, and the Sunshine Tour professional definitely started on a high note with his opening seven-under-par 65 to share the first round lead in the South African PGA Championship, sponsored by African Bank, at St Francis Links on Thursday.

Dingle dropped only one shot in a round that was later matched by Sunshine Tour rookie Stals Swart.
They are both two strokes clear of their nearest challengers in Estiaan Conradie, Heinrich Bruiners and JJ Senekal. Senekal finished third in this event in 2014.

It was a solid start to the championship for Dingle in particular, who grew up in the Karoo and as a 10-year-old used to carry around a piece of AstroTurf to hit golf balls off.

With one victory to his name in the 2022 Vodacom Origins of Golf San Lameer, Dingle has now given himself a perfect start to chase what would be the biggest victory of his career in South Africa’s second-oldest professional tournament.

Jaco van Zyl also made a strong start to line up potential history of his own.

Van Zyl opened with a round of four-under-par 68. The three-time winner is chasing a rare place in South African PGA Championship history. Should he win it a fourth time, he will join Harold Henning as the only other player to have done so.

George Coetzee also signed for a first round of 68 as he continues his comeback from wrist surgery. Coetzee won the second of his South African PGA Championship titles on this golf course in 2022.
Rupert Kaminski had a tough start to his title defence with an opening round of 73.

The South African PGA Championship is also proudly supported by the Eastern Cape Parks & Tourism Agency (ECPTA), the Sarah Baartman District Municipality, the Kouga Local Municipality, Momentum and Cape St Francis Resort.

The Sunshine Tour’s 2024/25 season will culminate in an exciting new playoffs series that will reward the top professionals with two exclusive limited field tournaments offering a combined R5.5 million in prize money, as well as several other global incentives.

The Courier Guy Playoffs will be the final two tournaments of the season, with the professionals competing throughout the season for a place in each of these exclusive events, with coverage on SuperSport.

The Courier Guy Playoffs will begin upon conclusion of the Joburg Open in early March.

The first playoff tournament will be the Serengeti Invitational from 20-23 March at Serengeti Estates and will feature the top 72 players from the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit delivered by The Courier Guy competing for R2.5 million in prize money.

At the conclusion of this tournament, the top 50 players on the Order of Merit delivered by The Courier Guy will qualify to play in the season-ending Tour Championship at The Club at Steyn City from 27-30 March, with a total purse of R3 million.

At the end of The Courier Guy Playoffs, the top three professionals on the final Order of Merit delivered by The Courier Guy will all receive DP World Tour cards for the following season.

The first-place finisher will also receive exemptions into the Nedbank Golf Challenge as well as two Majors – The Open Championship and US PGA Championship – and a R500 000 cash bonus. Second place will earn a R200 000 cash bonus, while the third-place finisher will earn a R100 000 bonus.

The leading golfer on the Fortress Rookie of the Year standings at the end of the season will also be rewarded with a R200 000 cash bonus.

“The Courier Guy is a symbol of excellence and, in launching The Courier Guy Playoffs, we’re really rewarding exceptional golf. It’s very exciting and we’re proud to play our part in supporting and delivering great local golfing talent,” said Craig Pitchers, CEO of The Courier Guy.

Thomas Abt, Commissioner of the Sunshine Tour, said: “The Courier Guy Playoffs is another exciting addition to our schedule that will give our fans a thrilling finale to our season. It’s a reward for the professionals who’ve performed consistently throughout the season and we’re extremely grateful to The Courier Guy, Serengeti Estates and The Club at Steyn City for their support of this exciting new addition to our schedule.”

SUNSHINE TOUR 2024/25 SCHEDULE

*European Challenge Tour co-sanctioned
**DP World Tour co-sanctioned

ST FRANCIS LINKS, Eastern Cape – South African golf will celebrate one of its most prestigious titles when the South African PGA Championship, sponsored by African Bank, tees off at St Francis Links on Thursday, with a field showcasing some of the brightest young stars in the local game.

And none more so than Casey Jarvis, who finished second in this event in 2022 and who returns a vastly more experienced player after a year on the DP World Tour.

“It feels great to be back on the Sunshine Tour. I love the golf course as well and it’s looking very good. I’m looking forward to going out there this week and having a bit of fun,” said Jarvis.

The 21-year-old is looking to draw on everything this year has taught him, including the experience of playing in his first Major at the US Open.

“The courses are very difficult on the DP World Tour so you have to manage your game very well. I’ve learnt course management and how to manage my game under pressure, and generally how to deliver on those good shots when you need them. But I’ve also learnt a lot about life in general,” said Jarvis.

George Coetzee continues his comeback from injury and returns to the tournament he won for the second time in 2022. Jaco van Zyl tees it up as a three-time winner of the South African PGA Championship, and Rupert Kaminski returns as the defending champion having last year added his name to a trophy that includes Gary Player, Ernie Els, Mark McNulty, David Frost, Nick Price, Louis Oosthuizen and Americans Hale Irwin and Corey Pavin.

That’s a list that the likes of Jarvis would certainly like to add his name to as well.

“This is a tournament that means a lot to us as South Africans. I would love to join some of the names on that trophy. I have finished second here before so I’d like to go one better this year.”

African Bank’s sponsorship of this tournament is certainly apt considering the investment it represents in the future of the Sunshine Tour and its rising stars.

Kyle de Beer tees it up as the current leader on the Fortress Rookie of the Year standings, while Nikhil Rama and Dylan Naidoo are also in the field this week.

“We are proud to have partnered with the Sunshine Tour and PGA Championship for the second year in a row. This partnership reflects our shared commitment to excellence, and we look forward to the prospect of continuing this impactful relationship,” said David Polkinghorne, Group Executive, Business Development (Business and Commercial) at African Bank.

“Golf is a wonderful metaphor for business with inherent challenges along the way. Being an entrepreneur has similar ups and downs. This is a journey which our founders understood, and which backs our belief in business, providing much needed support as we help them grow. At African Bank we want to empower businesses to make the best financial decisions at every stage of their entrepreneurial journey.”

The South African PGA Championship is also proudly supported by the Eastern Cape Parks & Tourism Agency (ECPTA), the Sarah Baartman District Municipality, the Kouga Local Municipality, Momentum and Cape St Francis Resort. – Michael Vlismas

Asian golf will witness one of its most impressive rising stars make his debut in the Nedbank Golf Challenge when 19-year-old Wenyi Ding tees it up at Sun City, a highly popular destination for Chinese tourists, from December 5-8, 2024, with tickets and an exciting luxury public hospitality option available to buy here…, or to book at [email protected].
 
The Chinese golf sensation will face his biggest test since turning professional in October when he joins a stellar field for ‘Africa’s Major’ that already includes defending champion and six-time PGA TOUR winner Max Homa, PGA TOUR champions Will Zalatoris and Corey Conners, DP World Tour stars Nicolai and Rasmus Højgaard, victorious European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald, and fellow Sunshine Tour stars Thriston Lawrence, Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Erik van Rooyen.
 
Ding will now seek to make history as the first Chinese champion in the over 40 years of the Nedbank Golf Challenge and at a Sun City resort that is already a premier holiday and business destination for Chinese tourists, and where the South African Chinese community has also celebrated Chinese New Year.
 
Ding is expected to have a large following at a Sun City resort that is as widely recognised in China, as is Gary Player’s status as an international golf icon, and which is further enhanced by an expanded Vacation Club offering at Sun City as well as several resort refurbishments including to the popular The Palace of The Lost City.
 
After a glittering amateur career, Ding turned professional through the Global Amateur Pathway, which was launched by the DP World Tour, PGA Tour and The R&A to help the best eligible male amateur players within the top 20 on the World Amateur Golf Rankings take the next step in their careers and secure playing rights on the DP World Tour.
 
Although only a few months into his professional career, Ding is already a global golf sensation.
 
The Beijing-born golfer was the first in Arizona State history to win both the Pacific-12 Conference Freshman of the Year and Player of the Year. He was also the first Chinese golfer to win a United States Golf Association (USGA) title when he claimed the 2022 US Junior Amateur, and this year he won the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship.
 
Ding adds to a field that offers tantalising viewing for golf fans, and with this year’s Nedbank Golf Challenge also offering an unsurpassed hospitality experience including the new Hospitali-TEE Lounge.
 
The new luxury public Hospitali-TEE Lounge is aimed at elevating the normal day visitor experience with a brand new hospitality lounge located close to the Public Village and offering an air-conditioned facility with indoor and outdoor seating, a live feed of the golf, and catering throughout the day. The package fee will include an official entrance ticket to the Nedbank Golf Challenge, accreditation for exclusive access to the Hospitali-TEE Lounge, a premium buffet including breakfast, lunch and afternoon snacks, a fully stocked open bar, an all-day coffee station, a live television feed of the golf, daily live entertainment, a daily player autograph opportunity, a sunscreen station, daily prizes and competitions, and official Nedbank Golf Challenge merchandise. To book click here…