The Nedbank Golf Challenge is the penultimate DP World Tour event of the season and 60 players take to the tee at the Gary Player Country Club at Sun City to have a crack at winning the event they call “Africa’s Major”.
The Tournament hasn’t taken place since 2019 and prior to that it had taken place for 3 years in November something many golf fans, like myself, have struggled to get used to given its previously traditional December slot.
The Gary Player Country Club plays to a par 72 layout and while very long, the fact that the event is played at altitude means that longer than normal distances can be reached off the tee. The fairways are fairly generous, but wayward tee shots will be punished by thick rough and in some cases thick bush. The wind doesn’t blow often at Sun City, but if it does it can make it a really tricky course to play.
Tommy Fleetwood the defending champion tops the betting boards at 10/1, but that is a bit short for me on a player that has looked a bit shaky under pressure of late. Jordan Smith and Thomas Detry are currently priced at 16/1 and you get 18/1 and better the balance. The Top South African in the betting is Christiaan Bezuidenhout currently priced at 18/1.
PAST WINNERS
2021 – 2020 – Cancelled due to COVID-19
2019 – Tommy Fleetwood
2018 – Lee Westwood
2017 – Branden Grace
2016 – Alex Norén
BETTING – Click here to bet
Tommy Fleetwood 10/1
Jordan Smith 16/1
Thomas Detry 16/1
Christiaan Bezuidenhout 18/1
Robert Macintyre 20/1
Ryan Fox 22/1
25/1 and better the balance, prices correct at the time of posting but are subject to change
Suggested Bet: Christiaan Bezuidenhout each way at 18/1
Bezuidenhout hasn’t been shooting the lights out, but he has a good record on home soil and has won on this course before, all be it not in this event. Local golfers tend to go well at Sun City and I am looking for Bezuidenhout to have a big one this week.
Suggested Bet: George Coetzee each way at 40/1
Keeping with the South African theme I am going for Coetzee, but I was surprised to see that he doesn’t have the greatest of course form and has yet to finish inside the Top 15 at this track, quite a stat given that he has been one of South Africa’s top golfers over the years.
Coetzee is in cracking form and he won last week and I am expecting him to take that confidence and put it to good use at Sun City.
Suggested Bet: Victor Perez each way at 40/1
Perez makes his debut at the Sun City Course and he certainly has the game to take it on. I am a bit concerned about his recent form with a missed cut in his last start, but only 4 starts back he finished on the podium and he had a win back in May of this year.
Suggested Bet: Ross Fisher each way at 66/1
Ross Fisher used to be a favourite of mine, but I haven’t heard much from him over the last few years. He has been in decent nick of late though with a couple of Top 20 finishes in his last few starts and his course form is excellent with a runner-up finish, a Top 5 and two Top 25’s in his last 5 starts.
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Note: All prices correct at the time of writing but are subject to change
