Category: Featured News

Sweden’s Marcus Kinhult held onto his lead by the end of a difficult third round of the Alfred Dunhill Championship as he now chases a second DP World Tour title at Leopard Creek on Sunday.

In temperatures far cooler than the previous days, Kinhult put together a solid 69 to head the field on 14 under par.

He heads into the final round two strokes clear of South Africa’s Ryan van Velzen, who signed for an incredible 65 to climb to 12 under par. And Darius van Driel from The Netherlands kept himself in contention on 11 under par with a 67.

Despite the cooler weather, it was a far from easy day for the majority of those near the top of the leaderboard.

Charl Schwartzel saw his challenge falter with a 74 that was a tale of two nines, including a front nine of 42 and a back nine of 32. He ended the day on five under par overall.

And Dean Burmester fought hard for a 70 – including two double bogeys – to keep himself in the tournament at 10 under par.

“It was a bit more of a grind today,” said Kinhult. “The good was very good, but I left myself in some tough positions as well. But I think I did pretty well. I don’t know the stats, but it felt like it was definitely less greens in regulation and more pressure on my short game.”

Kinhult is hunting his first win since 2019 and believes Leopard Creek sets up perfectly for him to achieve this on Sunday.

“Sleeping on a lead is not easy. But I enjoy playing this golf course. I like what I see on this golf course. It suits my eye. There are some tough holes but I do really like this course. If I can drive the ball well and put myself in good positions off the tee, that’s how you score well here. I’m looking forward to the challenge of the final round. It’s a tight leaderboard and I’m going to need a good round to win.”

Van Velzen is relishing being in contention for a maiden DP World Tour title.

“I’m hitting my driver so well at the moment, and I think I’ve gone two rounds without a bogey now. I’m staying away from flags I can’t go for. I’m playing very nicely,” he said.

And further behind, Burmester believes there’s still everything to play for on Sunday.

“Being four shots behind around here is nothing. Anything can happen here. Marcus is playing well and looks comfortable, but I can only control what I can do. I like winning tournaments from behind.”

The championship will be live on SuperSport from 11:30-16:30 South Africa time on Sunday. – Michael Vlismas

Sweden’s Marcus Kinhult will take a three-stroke lead into the weekend of the Alfred Dunhill Championship, but with a strong group of challengers equally well placed to keep the pressure on him at Leopard Creek.

On another day of intense heat in the lowveld, Kinhult kept a cool head and signed for a 68 and the lead on 11 under par.

“It started out okay with the heat but after five or six holes I was hiding under the umbrella for most of the round. But it was a good day. I feel like I played well but didn’t take advantage of the par fives. But I’m not upset. This was a good score and I’m looking forward to two more rounds,” said Kinhult, who has given himself another shot at a second DP World Tour title after losing a playoff for the KLM Open this year.

Behind him, South Africa’s Dean Burmester worked his way into contention on eight under par with a 67, joining Andrea Pavan (69) and Dale Whitnell (67) as Kinhult’s nearest challengers. Burmester is a tough prospect on home soil when he has a chance, having won three of his four DP World Tour titles in South Africa.

“It was extremely hot out there but I played a solid round of golf. I’m three behind. I’m just going to keep to my strategy, and we’ll see where that ends up. If I can roll in a few putts, who knows what will happen,” he said.

Fellow South African Charl Schwartzel also moved ominously into contention amongst a group of players on seven under par with a round of 66, including two eagles.

Schwartzel is chasing a record fifth title in a championship where he also owns the biggest margin of victory and lowest tournament total, and has started to find his comfort levels on this course this week.

“We’ve got 36 holes to go and my game feels good. I know this golf course. You’ve got to start giving yourself the opportunities. But it can also bite you. If you miss the fairways all the time it’s really difficult to control the ball out of the rough. So there is a big emphasis on putting the ball on the fairway. But we’re halfway through and I’m up there. The golf course will only get firmer, so with 36 holes to go I need to keep creating opportunities and hopefully we’re there by Sunday,” he said.

The championship will be live on SuperSport from 11:30-16:30 South Africa time on Saturday and Sunday. – Michael Vlismas

On a sweltering Thursday at Leopard Creek, England’s Andy Sullivan turned up the heat himself with a sublime round of eight-under-par 64 to earn himself a one-stroke lead after the first round of the Alfred Dunhill Championship.

With temperatures in the 40 degrees Celsius, Sullivan took advantage of a 7am tee-off time off the 10^th and didn’t drop a single shot as he set the pace in this Sunshine Tour and DP World Tour co-sanctioned tournament.

“It’s so important to get off to a good start at Leopard Creek because you just know it’s going to get tougher and tougher. It generally doesn’t get easier here. So getting off to a good start is nice. It gives you that little bit of a buffer because you know you’re in for a serious grind over the next couple of days,” said Sullivan, who always feels at home on these fairways and draws heavily on his memories of winning his first two DP World Tour titles in South Africa in 2015.

“I always feel comfortable here and generally play good golf. My putting was really good today and saved me a couple of times. I feel like the greens suit me, so I’ve just got to keep the long game going. I’ve been able to put a lot more practice time in this week and the swing has felt good, so it was nice to get out on the course and it felt the same.”

His nearest challengers are South Africa’s Casey Jarvis, England’s Alex Fitzpatrick and Sweden’s Marcus Kinhult.

Jarvis teed off the 10^th and was three over for his first two holes before he produced some incredible golf. His most impressive stretch was the three birdies and an eagle he made on holes five, six, seven and eight, with those last two holes in particular always a tricky challenge.

“I got off to a tough start and then I just told myself, ‘C’mon, let’s do this now’, and I played lovely from there. I had three twos at holes five, six and seven which is a first for me. I absolutely love this place. The golf course just suits my game and I’ve had a lot of success here as an amateur, so when I get here I just try and play the game I did back then and it seemed to work,” said Jarvis.

Former champion Brandon Stone ended the first day just three strokes off the lead. Defending champion Louis Oosthuizen did well to post a one-under-par 71 despite an eight on the par-five 18^th. Charl Schwartzel, a four-time winner here, also opened with a 71, while Dean Burmester started his championship with a three-under-par 69.

The championship will be live on SuperSport from 12:00-17:00 South Africa time on Friday, and 11:30-16:30 South Africa time on Saturday and Sunday. – Michael Vlismas

Louis Oosthuizen is ready to defend an Alfred Dunhill Championship title which he ranks as one of the best achievements of his stellar career, and against a 2024 field that is widely representative of the international talent in the game.

Oosthuizen beat fellow Major champion Charl Schwartzel by two strokes in a thrilling final round last year, finally claiming the victory he has always sought on this Leopard Creek course.

“It was a bit of a struggle in the end with the weather last year. But it’s something I still consider as one of my best achievements because this golf course had always found a way to bite me, and to pull it through having to beat Charl (Schwartzel), who is king around this place, felt really good,” Oosthuizen said ahead of Thursday’s first  round.

This year he will face a field that includes some of the best professional and amateur talent on the Sunshine Tour and DP World Tour.

The championship has drawn eight of the last 13 champions of the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek including Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel, Ockie Strydom, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Pablo Larrazabal, Brandon Stone, Richard Sterne and Alvaro Quiros. There are multiple winners from the Sunshine Tour, DP World Tour and PGA Tour in the field as well as Major champions and Presidents Cup stars.

The future stars of the game will also be on display, with Scotland’s Gregor Graham making his professional debut following an amateur career that saw him win the South African Amateur Championship and Brabazon Trophy this year. The 20-year-old Aldrich Potgieter continues his quest for a maiden DP World Tour title this week, while fellow 20-year-old Chinese star Wenyi Ding makes his first appearance in the Alfred Dunhill Championship as a rising star of the Asian game.

And the finest amateur talent from GolfRSA will also be on display, including South African number one Astin Arthur as well as Jordan Burnand and Daniel Bennett – both ranked within the top five in the country. They’ll be joined by Christiaan Maas and Kieron van Wyk.

“I’m really looking forward to this week,” said Schwartzel, who is hungry to add to his record four Alfred Dunhill Championship titles and five runner-up finishes here.

“Can I just smile and say nothing?” he said of his love for Leopard Creek. “This is my favourite golf course and the success I’ve had here always helps. I came close last year. It’s the best I’ve played on this golf course since they made the changes, and I’m starting to get comfortable with it.”

Dean Burmester is hoping to add his name to the champions of this event. Burmester is keenly aware that all of his close friends in Oosthuizen, Schwartzel and Branden Grace have won this title. “I’m the only one who hasn’t won and I get reminded of that by them. I’m looking forward to giving myself a chance on Sunday,” he said.

And Larrazabal is equally hopeful that the magic of the Kruger National Park will inspire another victory here for him.

“When I won here in 2019, that week I went into the park at 5:58am. By 6:23am we had already seen the Big Five. In 25 minutes through the gate we had seen it all,” he said.

The championship will be live on SuperSport from 12:00-17:00 South Africa time on Thursday and Friday, and 11:30-16:30 South Africa time on Saturday and Sunday. – Michael Vlismas

SUN CITY (North West) – American Johannes Veerman celebrated a dream debut in the Nedbank Golf Challenge with his one-stroke victory at the Gary Player Country Club after edging out South Africa’s Aldrich Potgieter in a thrilling finish on Sunday.

Veerman closed with a 69 for a total of five under par, and then watched from the score recording area as Potgieter, finishing behind him and tied for the lead on five under, bogeyed the final hole.

“It’s surreal. I can now put on my Instagram that I’m the champion of ‘Africa’s Major’ – the fifth Major. This is a world-class event with world-class players here,” said a relieved Veerman who, as has become tradition here, was given a true African celebration as the golf course staff hoisted him and the trophy into the air and sang his praises.

“This week has been amazing. There was a function almost every night and they were great fun. We had fireworks, we had a dinner in the bush. It was amazing. And you didn’t just meet other golfers at the functions but also the community behind this tournament. I’m coming back for sure,” he said.

Veerman teed off the final round five shots adrift of the leader, Potgieter, who had the full support of the local fans behind him after being granted an invitation into this event by Gary Player, Sun International, Nedbank and the DP World Tour.

The 20-year-old South African seemed destined to add his name to the illustrious list of South Africans to have won here and held a one-stroke lead with four holes to play.

But the difficult closing stretch cost him as he bogeyed the par-three 16^th to be tied for the lead with Veerman, and then pushed his approach on 18 right of the green and made bogey from there.

“I was preparing for a playoff. I really was in the mindset I was going to go back out there and play again. When Aldrich made bogey on 18, I was almost thunderstruck. Aldrich is a world-class player and is going to do amazing things in his career. But the closing stretch of holes is so difficult out here. I knew if I could just par those I might have a chance,” said Veerman.

Potgieter signed for a 75 and shared second place with Matthew Jordan (72) and Romain Langasque (71) on four under par.

Earlier in the week, Veerman played a practice round and arrived on the 18^th green in awe of the grandstands.

“I thought, ‘Wow. Are there really going to be that many people here?’ And everybody showed up.”

They showed up to see the sixth American winner of this iconic tournament.

“I feel blessed and honoured to have won this trophy,” said Veerman.

SUN CITY (North West) – The 20-year-old Aldrich Potgieter is on the brink of a dream debut in the Nedbank Golf Challenge as the young South African takes a three-stroke lead into Sunday’s final round at the Gary Player Country Club.

Potgieter was given an invitation into this tournament by Gary Player and has grabbed the opportunity by taking the lead on seven under par following a bogey-free 66 on Saturday.

Italy’s Francesco Laporta and England’s Matthew Jordan are his nearest challengers. Laporta worked his way into contention with a third round of 69, while Jordan posted a 71 on another hot and windy day.

Defending champion Max Homa will start the final round four shots off the lead following a 72.

Potgieter was delighted with his performance in a tournament he admits he was just hoping to use to gain experience before embarking on his PGA Tour career next season.

“I didn’t expect to come here and win. I was just trying to use it as a learning curve, and obviously if you do get the win it’s a really big bonus. A win here would mean everything to me. It would be a dream come true. But I’m just trying to hit one shot at a time and we’ll see how the final round goes,” he said.

Potgieter started strong in Saturday’s third round with two birdies in his first four holes and then made another push with two birdies over the turn. He then drove home his advantage with an eagle on the par-five 14^th hole.

“I played some good golf and had a lot of big par saves. With the eagle, I was aiming for middle of the green. I hit the ball a little more right but I knew the wind was there, and when I looked up I knew it was going at the hole. I’m quite happy with the result.”

The young South African was also loving every minute of the home support he was given on Saturday, especially after spending most of the last few years developing his career in America where he played on the Korn Ferry Tour before securing his playing privileges on the PGA Tour.

“It was a great day. I loved the crowd out there and it was awesome to have a pretty big crowd following us. You miss home when you’re in a new country. To have some family here as well is great. I’m just really happy and will try and do the same on the final day.”

It will indeed be a big day for Potgieter as he seeks to write his name into Nedbank Golf Challenge history and become the first South African champion since 2017.

SUN CITY (North West) – Frenchman Julien Guerrier will take a one-stroke lead into the weekend of the Nedbank Golf Challenge after a day when the Gary Player Country Club course charged back at the field like an angry elephant bull.

A combination of intense heat, firm greens and tricky winds turned Friday’s second round into a stern test.

Guerrier managed to make the best of a tough day with his 68 to lead on five under par overall. He is one stroke clear of fellow Frenchman Romain Langasque, who signed for a 70, and South Africa’s Ockie Strydom, who posted a 73.

Defending champion Max Homa was amongst the leaders and at one stage held the sold lead before dropping four shots over his final three holes with back-to-back double bogeys on 16 and 17 for a 75. But he is still only two shots off the lead.

It was a day when most of those near the top of the leaderboard considered whatever they shot some of the best golf they have played.

“It’s a privilege to shoot under par here in the tough conditions we had,” said Guerrier. “I’m very pleased I made a lot of birdies. I love to play this golf course, but it’s very difficult to keep a clean card here. You had to just stay patient. You know you’re going to make mistakes out there, and so is everybody else. But it’s difficult because you can hit some good shots and get the wind gusts at the wrong time, like I did on 17 and went in the water. But it’s part of this golf course.”

Even for someone like Strydom, who has played this course more than most in the field in the Sunshine Tour events here over the years, Friday was a grind.

“It wasn’t easy out there. The wind was all over the place. At a stage it was almost a two-club wind on the back nine. It was a total grind out there.”

And Langasque, who loves this course and has always played well in South Africa, described his second round of 70 as his best round this year.

“It was a very good score. It played tough with the firm greens. If you shot under par today you played very well.”

SUN CITY (North West) – Max Homa began the defence of his Nedbank Golf Challenge title in the same way he ended it last year – at the top of the leaderboard.

The six-time PGA Tour champion birdied his first three holes and opened with a six-under-par 66 to lead the first round by a single stroke over South Africa’s Ockie Strydom.

Homa did drop two shots on the back nine, but then finished strong with birdies at 17 and 18 to give him the confidence that what he’s been working on with his swing combined with his love for this tournament is coming together very nicely this week.

“I haven’t played a tournament in a while and I’ve been working on a lot of new things so it felt really good to come out and birdie the first three holes. I felt really comfortable with the golf swing. As far as first rounds defending my title, it’s definitely one I’ll remember,” said Homa.

A day of intense heat and the traditionally fickle winds on this golf course tested the 66-man field on day one.

“It was really tricky with the wind. It threw us for a bit of a loop but I thought I did a really good job of adjusting to it. Overall I did a good job of playing within myself and not hitting shots I don’t really love to hit. You come to a golf course like this where you cannot fake it off the tee. You have to hit good tee shots here.

“I was a little sloppy on the back nine but I still liked the way I was swinging it. I’m very happy with the last two holes because those are two difficult holes so to make birdie there was great. There’s a long way to go but it’s really cool to see some more good golf here.”

Behind him, Strydom feels equally comfortable on a course he’s played countless rounds of golf on in Sunshine Tour events here.

“It’s good to be back home. I love it here. I know the golf course and it’s looking great. This is Africa’s Major. All the South Africans dream of playing here, so just to be here is something special.”

Strydom was particularly impressive on the par fives, highlighted by his eagle on the 14^th.

“You have to score on the par fives here. The par fours and par threes are tricky, so to be minus four on the par fives is decent. But overall, I’ve been struggling with injuries so to be pain free and out there competing again is very pleasant.”

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