Johannesburg – This week’s 36th Nedbank Golf Challenge at Sun City, formerly known as the Million Dollar, marks the start of a new era for the tournament. Not only is it bigger than before, with 72 players in the field, it is also being held a month earlier to form part of the Finals Series in the European Tour’s Race to Dubai to find the tour’s No 1 player. Jacques van der Westhuyzen previews Africa’s Major here:
Outside of the four Majors, the World Golf Championship tournaments and possibly the Players, the Nedbank Golf Challenge is the biggest tournament in golf.
Well, that’s what we down here in South Africa think anyway.
“Africa’s Major” has always attracted the game’s biggest names and the list of winners is really a who’s who in golf – from Johnny Miller, Raymond Floyd and Seve Ballesteros to Bernhard Langer, Ernie Els, Colin Montgomerie, Jim Furyk and Martin Kaymer.
Heck, Tiger Woods was even here, once, but lost to Nick Price in a play-off.
It’s a tournament that has produced magical golf over the years and it’s fitting that it is played on a course designed by the great Gary Player, who last week turned 81.
There have been many highs and many lows over the years, but one thing is certain… you know you’re going to get excitement at the Nedbank Golf Challenge.
Last year Marc Leishman of Australia floored the field to win comfortably and, while he’ll be back this year to defend his title, it’ll be a major surprise if he goes all the way again.
In a field that now boasts 72 of the European Tour’s very best, players who’re all looking to bank as many points as possible to get into the final field in Dubai next week when the season wraps up, there are several men who look to be ready to bag the $1.16m (about R15.6m) on offer for the winner.
Defending Race to Dubai champion, and third in the current standings, Rory McIlroy will not tee it up at Sun City, but first-placed Henrik Stenson will, as will second-placed Danny Willett, both former winners, in 2008 and 2014 respectively.
The smart money will be on one of them bagging the title this year.
There are, however, a host of other players good enough to go all the way if their games click over the four days – which areexpected to be long and hot in the Pilanesberg sun.
Kaymer always enjoys his trips to Sun City, as do Sergio Garcia and Lee Westwood, all three being previous winners, while a host of young European stars will fancy their chances of adding their names to the trophy.
Here one thinks of Belgian’s Thomas Pieters, England’s Andrew “Beef” Johnston, Tommy Fleetwood, Chris Wood and Andy Sullivan, Spain’s Rafa Cabrera Bello and Ireland’s Padraig Harrington who, with three Majors to his name, is the “biggest” winner at the tournament.
Harrington is flying high after his first European Tour victory in eight years at the Portugal Masters and he is relishing the opportunity to return to Sun City where he will join a raft of fellow Major winners, now including also Stenson (The Open) and Willett (Masters), while one of South Africa’s most famous golfing sons, Retief Goosen, is also in the field.
“Sun City will be my 400th event on the European Tour and I’m sure it will be an enjoyable week,” said the Irishman.
“Hopefully I can push on and make a charge up the Race to Dubai rankings.
“I wasn’t surprised by my victory in Portugal as I felt good things were coming my way. I was ready to win, and to have a winning season is a big positive for me.”
The South African challenge will be led by Branden Grace, Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen, all winners in the last year and ranked in the world’s top 50, and all seeking their first victory at Sun City.
The tournament, worth $7m (about R94.43m), gets under way on Thursday.
At a glance:
Past winners (with score)
2015 Marc Leishman (Australia, –19)
2014 Danny Willett (England, –18)
2013 Thomas Bjørn (Denmark, –20)
2012 Martin Kaymer (Germany, –8)
2011 Lee Westwood (England, –15)
2010 Lee Westwood (England, –17)
2009 Robert Allenby (Australia, –11)
2008 Henrik Stenson (Sweden, –21)
2007 Trevor Immelman (South Africa, –16)
2006 Jim Furyk (United States, -12)
2005 Jim Furyk (United States, -6)
2004 Retief Goosen (South Africa, -7)
2003 Sergio García (Spain, -14)
2002 Ernie Els (South Africa, -21)
2001 Sergio García (Spain, -20)
2000 Ernie Els (South Africa, -20)
1999 Ernie Els (South Africa, -25)
1998 Nick Price (Zimbabwe, -15)
1997 Nick Price (Zimbabwe, -13)
1996 Colin Montgomerie (Scotland, -14)
1995 Corey Pavin (US, -12)
1994 Nick Faldo (England, -16)
1993 Nick Price (Zimbabwe, -24)
1992 David Frost (South Africa, -12)
1991 Bernhard Langer (Germany, -16)
1990 David Frost (South Africa, -4)
1989 David Frost (South Africa, -12)
1988 Fulton Allem (South Africa, -10)
1987 Ian Woosnam (Wales, -14)
1986 Mark McNulty (Zimbabwe, -6)
1985 Bernhard Langer (West Germany, -10)
1984 Seve Ballesteros (Spain, -9)
1983 Seve Ballesteros (Spain –14)
1982 Raymond Floyd (US, -8)
1981 Johnny Miller (US, -11)
Fast facts:
Total prize money: $7 million
First prize: $1 166 660
Length of course: 6 550m
Course designer: Gary Player
Grass type: Fairways, tees and semi-rough – kikuyu;
Greens – bent grass
Date course opened: 1979