– The Nedbank Golf Challenge brings together 16 players from the world’s top 100 this week. Not a bad figure for this time of year. We must raise the cup and toast to this tournament, heir to the million dollars and with no strange names on its roll of honour. There have been 44 editions and it has offered 28 different winners. Of all of them, 16 have won at least one Major, all those eligible by nationality have played the Ryder Cup, all have also played the Presidents and have won tournaments all over the world. It’s a tournament to stand up for. This year, six million dollars and 4,000 points in the Race to Dubai. There are 66 players and no cut.
– Heat and speed are the main protagonists this week at the Gary Player Country Club, an extraordinary venue located in Sun City, within a fabulous complex that operates with the same independence as an autonomous city. The resort has everything. It is one of the most beloved tournaments by players and caddies, as it is also quite affordable economically.
– We say heat and speed. Temperatures will be very high, with a lot of humidity, to the point that the DP World Tour has given the green light to shorts. Moreover, the big novelty this year is that the rough protecting the fairways is much shorter than in previous years. This, which at first glance might seem like great news for golfers, a more accessible course, actually has a catch. With less rough and faster fairways, the bushes have practically encroached on the fairway. The surface is hard, the ball runs a lot, becomes more uncontrollable and, on top of that, it has lost the rough barrier that separated the fairway from the bushes. In short, we are likely to see more lost balls. A bad day from the tee will be much more penalising.
– Additionally, the greens are also fast and hard, a constant on this Gary Player course. It has been eight years since the winner reached the -20 digit. It is true that in 2023 Max Homa won with -19, but in the six previous years, -15 was not surpassed and this year wind is expected, be careful. The forecast is that the champion will move between -10 and -15. However, always with the necessary caution when making these predictions.
– There are three significant changes on the course. The first relates to one of the most iconic images of the Gary Player Country Club. They have removed the tuft of rough that was in the middle of the bunker on the 14th hole, just before the green, which makes the shot easier; on the 18th they have removed the fairway bunker, which helps off the tee, and on the 3rd they have replaced the water on the right with lost ball, which obviously adds tension to that hole. It’s not the same to drop there if you miss the shot as having to repeat it.
