First held in 1981, the Nedbank Golf Challenge is a beloved and prestigious entry in the South African golfing calendar. It started life as the Nedbank Million Dollar Challenge, an ultra-exclusive event with a field of just 5 of the world’s top golfers; Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, Gary Player, Seve Ballesteros, and Johnny Miller. Although the field had expanded to 12 by 1993, it continued to be contested by only the best players of the time.
Originally independent of golf’s major tours, it became part of South Africa’s Sunshine Tour in 2006, and since 2013 it has been jointly sanctioned by the DP World Tour. The field is much larger these days, but at 64 players it still retains an air of exclusivity compared with most top-class golf events. It is held at Gary Player Country Club in Sun City, in South Africa’s North West province.
Having been cancelled in 2020 and 2021, the reigning champion remains 2019 winner Tommy Fleetwood. The Englishman edged out Marcus Kinhult in a playoff, but it was the manner in which he tied with the Swede on the leaderboard that caught the eye – by sinking an astonishing 3 eagles in the final round!
The cancellations also mean we’re still waiting for the tournament’s historic 40th edition. The milestone event will take place from 10-13 November 2022, and you can already secure your place there. During the tournament rounds, general admission Grounds tickets start at just R250 (USD $15) for adults, while child tickets cost R100 ($6). Several hospitality experiences are also available, starting at R2,495 ($148) per person per day, excluding VAT.