Kristoffer Reitan (-17) is the winner of the Nedbank Challenge hosted by Gary Player. He led from start to finish in Sun City. From Thursday to Sunday. From the first shot to the last. But the path that seemed like a walk turned into an exercise in pure survival. At 3:30 PM on Saturday, with just three holes left to play on moving day, the Norwegian was leading by eight strokes. When he holed the final putt 24 hours later, only one separated him from disaster. He won, yes, but in the end, it was with one eye on the clock and hoping for time to run out. It must be said, he earned that advantage himself.
The story took a turn in a matter of holes. In the first 53, he had only made three bogeys. In the last 19, he fell apart like never before: the double bogey with which he closed the third round, plus four errors this Sunday. And it’s no coincidence: the pressure took its toll. Reitan himself explained it candidly: “I felt the pressure a lot. I had never faced such a lead and had no references on how to play it. I was very nervous all day.”
The best example was his putt on the 72nd hole. He had two putts to win. Two. And even so, trying to play it safe, he left the first attempt short, just over a metre away, uncharacteristic of a player who usually putts with surgical calmness. The fear of losing weighed more than the opportunity to win. Honours to a Dan Bradbury and a Jayden Schaper (-16) who pushed hard with five and four under par this Sunday.
Even so, the victory is significant. Second win of the year on the DP World Tour, adding to his success on the HotelPlanner Tour thirteen months ago. Three titles in just over a year that consolidate his leap to the PGA Tour. Moreover, his performance allows him to finish the year among the top 50 in the rankings and, with that, secure his debut at the Masters Tournament. Sun City did not offer a direct spot, but Reitan earned it through accumulated merit.
As for the Spaniards, Ángel Ayora once again delivered a high-level result: another top ten to start the season exactly where he left off. Last year he achieved ten. Today marks his first of 2026.
It may sound repetitive, but it holds great value. Consistency is often the prelude to triumph, and Ayora’s triumph, given what we’ve seen, continues knocking on the door. Alejandro del Rey and Jorge Campillo finished three under par in the top 25 of the tournament. Eugenio Chacarra finished with one more stroke (-2), Nacho Elvira (-1), and Pablo Larrazábal ended his tournament level with the course
Final results of the Nedbank Challenge 2025
