Golf is about chasing perfection even though it can never be reached. Still, the Gary Player Country Club course is said to be in perfect condition this week, and whoever wins the Nedbank Golf Challenge at Sun City will have to produce near-flawless golf.
Leading the overseas charge are world No 13 Viktor Hovland, who says his game is getting back to where it was when he was in the top three of the rankings; Will Zalatoris, who says his back is now not just 100% but 150%; rising European star Marco Penge; Canadian Nick Taylor; Thomas Detry of Belgium; and England’s Laurie Canter.
Hopes for a South African to win for the first time since Branden Grace in 2017 will centre on Thriston Lawrence, Garrick Higgo, Aldrich Potgieter and Christiaan Bezuidenhout, all in the top 100 of the world rankings.
Potgieter has come closest to winning since Grace, having been runner-up to American Johannes Veerman last year, having led by three strokes at the start of the final round.
The 21-year-old says he has been inspired by meeting tournament host Gary Player and is confident that if he is in contention again, he can finish the job.
After losing by one stroke to Veerman, Potgieter won the Rocket Classic in a lengthy playoff in June, becoming South Africa’s youngest winner on the US PGA Tour at 20 years, 289 days old.
“Mr Player is always willing to give 100%, and to have so much energy at the age of 90 is so special and inspirational. I have a different mindset this year.
“If it’s your time, it’s your time. I’ve learnt to be okay with results because there’s a lot you can’t control. But I feel good, and my game is good.
“The course is thick with rough, and I know the greens are going to firm up. So I’m going to hit a lot of two-irons like last year, maybe three drivers. It takes away a bit of the advantage of being a long hitter, but I thought I did well last year. On the Saturday I was really good,” Potgieter said.
Zalatoris, who has three runner-up finishes in Majors, is making another comeback after back surgery, but this time he is confident the operation has sorted out his herniated discs.
“I feel great; I wouldn’t make my first start after surgery 10,000 miles away from home if I didn’t,” the American said. “The operation has been such a game-changer; if I thought my back was 100% after the previous surgery, this is now 150%.”
Hovland said he has been through some terrible times after being ranked as high as third when he won the Dubai Desert Classic in January 2022. Still, he is ranked considerably higher than anyone else in the field, and he said he feels his game is returning to that previous high level after shooting a bogey-free 65 in Wednesday’s pro-am.
“I played really nicely today. In the past couple of years I’ve really struggled with my driver, and on this course you have to put the ball in play, otherwise it becomes a real challenge,” the Norwegian said.
“I took a lot of time off this year to work on things and try to get my game into shape. But it was frustrating because I did not see a lot of improvement. So it’s been a grind even though I won the Valspar Championship in March.
“But my game has stabilised a bit. It’s starting to get better, and I feel good. It’s no joke this place; you’ve really got to do everything well. You can’t fake it, the rough is pretty juicy, and the greens are so small and firm.
“But I’m trending in the right direction. Obviously the pins were in the middle of the greens today for the pro-am, but I was stepping up and hitting the shots I’m seeing. That gives me a lot of confidence. I saw a lot more today than I have in the past two years,” Hovland said.
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