Double Masters champion Bubba Watson is headed to Sun City and will make his debut in the Nedbank Golf Challenge in honour of Gary Player from 3-6 December.
Watson is the fourth Major champion to be added to this year’s field for Africa’s Major at the revamped Gary Player Country Club.
The winner of the 2012 and 2014 Masters and a former world No 2 joins current US Open champion Wyndham Clark and former US Open champions Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Rose in the strongest field in recent Nedbank Golf Challenge history.
Watson will seek to add to the impressive American influence in the Nedbank Golf Challenge, which started with Johnny Miller’s victory in the inaugural event in 1981 and includes champions such as Raymond Floyd, Corey Pavin, Jim Furyk, Max Homa and most recently Johannes Veerman.
“When you travel the world playing golf, South Africa is one of those places you always want to go back to. The people there live for golf and sports and the country has produced so many great players over the years.
"You can feel that passion every time you step on the course. And also, getting to see the wildlife while you’re there is just awesome. I’m really looking forward to coming back for the Nedbank Golf Challenge and seeing the fans again.”
The South African challenge has also been bolstered by the addition of multiple DP World Tour winner Branden Grace and PGA Tour winner Aldrich Potgieter.
Grace returns as the last South African winner of the Nedbank Golf Challenge in 2017 and a nine-time winner on the DP World Tour who holds the record for the lowest round in men’s Major Championship history of 62 at The Open in 2017.
“I’m proud to be a former champion of Africa’s Major, and I’m very excited to be coming back to the Nedbank Golf Challenge this December,” said Grace.
And Potgieter will make his third appearance in the Nedbank Golf Challenge as the youngest winner in Korn Ferry Tour history and also the youngest South African to ever win on the PGA Tour.
The 22-year-old was granted an invitation to compete for the first time in 2024 and came close to a rare debut victory when he led through 54 holes and finished second just one shot behind American Johannes Veerman.