The Nedbank Golf Challenge
The Nedbank Golf Challenge at Sun City in South Africa's North West province has proved to be a tournament of firsts.
First million-dollar golf event
Way back in 1981 it became the first golf tournament ever to offer a prize purse of US$1-million, with the winner taking home $500 000. When the field was increased to 10 players the following year, the winner's share of the million dollars shrunk to $300 000 - still more than the money on offer to the winner of any of the majors.
In 1987, in a once-off, the winner took all of the $1-million prize purse. The following year, while the winner's prize remained a million dollars, the minor places were also rewarded.
And in 2000, the Nedbank Golf Challenge became the first golf tournament ever to offer a cool US$2-million to the winner.
Prize money in 2006 is $4 385 000, with the winner pocketing a cool $1.2-million. Finishing last is worth $200 000.
Drawing the
best players
The Golf Challenge has consistently attracted a quality field featuring many of the world's greatest golfers. There are a number of reasons for this:
- The venue is fantastic. The Gary Player Country Club course was designed by South Africa's greatest sportsman of the twentieth century and is situated in the beautiful Sun City resort.
- The course is wonderfully designed both to challenge players and to provide spectators with good viewing. It is one of the toughest courses in southern Africa, but it can be tamed, at least from time to time.
- The huge prize money consistently proves a powerful enough lure to attract the world's leading players. Previous participants include Tiger Woods, Ernie Els, Nick Price, Bernhard Langer, Lee Trevino, Gary Player, Nick Faldo, Seve Ballesteros, Colin Montgomerie, Retief Goosen, David Frost, Ian Woosnam, Mark O'Meara, Jose Maria Olazabel, Vijay Singh, Phil Mickelson and Lee Westwood.
- The event is scheduled around the beginning of December every year, after the world's different leading tours have finished for the year, thus allowing the players to come to South Africa for some golf that is financially well rewarded, as well as to take in some rest and relaxation at the same time.
Three players have won the event three times, and they have all been big favourites with local golf fans. David Frost won in 1989, 1990 and 1992. His 1990 victory at four-under-par was the highest-ever winning total, with 12-under his winning number on the other two occasions.
The likeable Zimbabwean Nick Price, adopted as one of South Africa's own, recorded victories in 1993, 1997 and 1998. His 1998 win came after a playoff against Tiger Woods, while his 1993 24-under-par effort was a sublime performance by a man completely on top of his game.
Ernie Els won in 1999, 2000, and 2002. His first victory came after he twice finished as runner-up. With over $7-million in earnings at the Nedbank Golf Challenge, Els has benefited more financially than any other golfer in the history of the event.
Event records
Els holds the record for the lowest four rounds in the history of the event. When he won in 1999 he finished on 25-under-par 263 after rounds of 67, 66, 64, and 66.
He, along with Bernhard Langer and Nick Price, has appeared in the event 14 times.
Price, with 42 sub-par rounds, leads Els, who is second best on 40 sub-par rounds. However, the record for best stroke average (minimum 12 rounds) belongs to Lee Westwood at 69.20. Els is in second-place on 69.46, while Price is third at 69.70.
On the subject of low scoring, the lowest rounds belong to John Huston, Colin Montgomerie, Ernie Els, Darren Clarke, Jim Furyk and Nick Faldo, all of whom have rounds of 64 to their credit.
The record for the worst total belongs to Ian Woosnam, who was 21-over-par in 1993, a staggering 45 shots behind the winner, Nick Price.
Two-time winners include Seve Ballesteros, with consecutive victories in 1983 and 1984, and Langer, with wins in 1985 and 1991.
There have been seven playoffs in the history of the Nedbank Challenge. Sergio Garcia edged Retief Goosen for the title in 2003. He also chipped in on the first extra hole to edge out Ernie Els in 2001. In 2000 Els defeated Lee Westwood. In 1998 Nick Price beat Tiger Woods. In 1996 Colin Montgomerie got the better of Els. In 1982 Raymond Floyd beat Craig Stadler. And in 1981 Johnny Miller defeated Seve Ballesteros.
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