Preview

Starts: 4th December 2025
Course: Gary Player CC, Sun City, South Africa
Par: 72 (36-36)
Length: 7,819 yards

2025 Nedbank Golf Challenge Tips

2025 Nedbank Golf Challenge Course Info

Course Designer: Gary Player
Fairways: Reasonably narrow, premium on accuracy.
Rough: Kikuya rough.
Greens: Bentgrass, 11 on the Stimpmeter.
Water Hazards: In play on 6 holes
Par 5's: 1st, 5th, 11th, 18th
Premium on: Iron Play

Significant Info To Be Aware Of

-Sun City also hosted the 2020 South African Open. The course has also hosted this event (or a variation of this event) a number of times. The course also plays annual host to the Sun City Challenge on the Sunshine Tour.

-The nines were swapped in 2020 so the back nine played as the front nine and vice versa. 

-The course is at altitude so the ball travels 10-15% further.

2025 Nedbank Golf Challenge Trends

Winning score
Johannes Veerman won last year with a score of five under par in tricky conditions. To emphasise just how tricky they were, Max Homa triumphed with a score of 19 under par teh year before.  Tommy Fleetwood won with -11 in 2023. Christiaan Bezuidenhout won with a score of -18 at the 2020 South African Open.  Other than 2015 and last year (when the winning score was -19), scoring has ranged between -11 and -15 at the Nedbank events.

Course form
Four of the past seven Nedbank champions had a top 10 finish before winning at Sun City.

Recent form
Johannes Veerman was in solid form to end the year prior to his victory last year.  Max Homa (2023) hadn't played a strokeplay event for seven weeks before playing in South Africa (he had played in the Ryder Cup though) but had been in excellent form prior with six top 15 finishes on the PGA Tour.  Fleetwood (2022) didn't arrive in sparkling form with 39-22-57 in his last three starts. Christiaan Bezuidenhout won the week before winning here in 2020.  Every winner of the Nedbank had at least a top 25 finish in their two previous starts.

Nationality
No nationality has dominated the Nedbank.

2025 Nedbank Golf Challenge Stats Analysis

Summary
Strokes Gained stats are available for the past three Nedbank Challenges, the 2020 South African Open and the 2019, 2018 and 2017 Nedbank Golf Challenge.

SG: Off The Tee
Johannes Veerman was 1st in this category last year. Max Homa was 9th for SG: Off The Tee when winning in 2023.  Tommy Fleetwood ranked 16th in 2022. Bezuidenhout ranked 42nd in 2020.  The previous three winners of the Nedbank ranked 3rd, 21st and 12th in this category.

SG: Approach
Veerman was 26th last year. Homa and Fleetwood both ranked 6th for approach play. Bezuidenhout ranked 1st in 2020.  The previous three winners of the Nedbank ranked inside the top 5 for SG: Approach. Iron play is very important.

SG: Around The Greens
Veerman was 33rd last year. Homa was 16th around the greens in 2023.  Fleetwood ranked 2nd. Bezuidenhout ranked 7th in 2020.  None of the previous three Nedbank champions ranked better than 20th.

SG: Putting
Veerman was 18th last year. Homa was 9th for putting in 2023. Fleetwood ranked 34th in 2022. Bezuidenhout ranked 8th in 2020.  The previous three Nedbank winners ranked 20th, 2nd and 25th.  You don't need to have a brilliant week on the greens to win.

2024 Nedbank Golf Challenge In Play Tips

Tough Holes
The four closing holes (15th-18th) along with the 8th played as the hardest holes in 2024.

Birdie Holes
The four par 5s played the easiest whilst the 6th was the easiest par 4 in 2024. 

Fast or Slow Start

Johannes Veerman was four shots back last year after round one. 

Max Homa had a share of the lead or solo lead from start to finish in 2023. As did Christiaan Bezuidenhout in 2020.

In 2022, Tommy Fleetwood was SIX back after round one, four back at halfway and three back after three rounds. 

At the 2019 Nedbank, the top seven were all under par for their opening round, with six of the top seven shooting a score in the 60s.

In 2018, the top six all broke par in their opening round and in 2017, eight of the top nine shot one under or better.

2025 Nedbank Golf Challenge Tips