Oosthuizen to play in Sun City tourney
Gary Player-hosted event now one of eight in new Rolex Series
MAJOR winner Louis Oosthuizen has confirmed his place in the Nedbank Golf Challenge hosted by Gary Player from November 9 to 12. This year, the $7.5-million (R99-million) tournament at the Gary Player Country Club in Sun City takes its place as part of the European Tour’s new Rolex Series, a premium category of eight events on the Race to Dubai.
Oosthuizen, who has 13 titles worldwide, triumphed at the 139th Open Championship at St Andrews in 2010 to claim his maiden Major title.
He will make his seventh appearance in “Africa’s Major” when he tees up in Sun City and aims to improve on his previous best finish of fourth place in 2012.
Oosthuizen said: “I’m always very excited to play the Nedbank Golf Challenge, and I can’t wait to tee up again this year.
“Playing in front of a home crowd is always a lot of fun.
“It all adds up to make this one of the most special weeks on tour.”
Tournament host Player said: “I am delighted to have Louis join us at Sun City as one of South Africa’s leading international players, and I’m so pleased he continues to support golf in South Africa.”
Oosthuizen heads to Sun City having achieved a career-best finish of tied second in The Players Championship this year, and amid an exciting evolution of the Nedbank Golf Challenge.
The tournament will be the seventh of eight events on the Rolex Series, a premium category of tournaments each with a minimum prize fund of $7-million (R93-million).
With the significant prize fund and greater Race to Dubai points on offer, Oosthuizen will be joined by some of the world’s top golfers, including defending champion and world No 8 Alex Noren, in the final event before the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai.
Sun International’s Nedbank Golf Challenge tournament director Dan Sevel said: “We are delighted to welcome Louis back to Sun City.”
Nedbank’s Tobie Badenhorst said: “We are excited to have a player of Louis’s calibre in the field for the 2017 Nedbank Golf Challenge.
“He is a great ambassador for South African golf, and no doubt he’ll lead a strong local contingent with the hope of claiming the first South African victory since 2007.”
Tickets for the Nedbank Golf Challenge are on sale at www.ticketpros.co.za