Sun City winner to double money
GOLF CHALLENGE: CHANGES MARK A NEW CHAPTER
Michael Vlismas
The Nedbank Golf Challenge hosted by Gary Player today announced a number of changes for 2019 as part of a series of exciting changes to the final three Rolex Series events of the European Tour season.
The tournament, which takes place at Sun City from November 14-17, will once again be the penultimate event on the European Tour’s Race to Dubai, joining the Turkish Airlines Open (Nov 7-10) and the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai (Nov 14-17) at the end of the 2019 season.
Significant changes to all three Rolex Series events were announced to increase the excitement around this season’s finale, with the winner of the 2019 Nedbank Golf Challenge now set to receive a winner’s cheque for $2.5 million – double the $1.25 million banked by England’s Lee Westwood in 2018.
The tournament’s overall prize fund will remain at $7.5 million, with the remainder of the field playing for the remaining $5million. The Race to Dubai points on offer have increased to 10 000, up from 7 500 in 2018.
The field in this year’s tournament will comprise the leading 60 players available from the Race to Dubai, all of whom will be aiming to seal a place in the top 50 on the Race to Dubai which ensures qualification for the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai the following week.
A further four places will then be added to the final Nedbank field, made up of three invitations and the winner of the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit.
First played in 1981, the Nedbank Golf Challenge became part of the European Tour International Schedule at the beginning of the 2014 season and joined the prestigious Rolex Series, the eight premium tournaments on the Race to Dubai, in 2017.
The changes announced today mark another new chapter for the tournament to further enhance its reputation as one of Africa’s leading sporting events.
Last year, more than 72 000 fans descended on Sun City to watch Westwood seal his 24th European Tour win and first Rolex Series title.