Who were the DP World Tour chart toppers this year ?

 From booming drives and perfect putting to deft chips and sublime scrambling, we take a look at who were statistically the best players on the DP World Tour in 2024.

Golf is a sport that requires a player to have many facets to play at the elite level: power, precision, patience and yes, sometimes luck, among many others.

It is a sport that can be played many different ways and is often required to be depending on the course and conditions you face.

And it is also a sport that requires the mind: decision making and mental strength under pressure are key components of all those that achieve true excellence.

Taking all that into account, you would also think that it is a sport that is difficult to boil down to numbers but one of the game's many eccentricities is that it focuses on numbers more than perhaps any other sport on the planet.

Here, we take a look at the players who topped some of the key metrics in the 2024 season.

Driving distance

The average number of yards per drive, measured on two shots per round

In 2021 Wilco Nienaber topped this chart and in 2022 it was Rory McIlroy. Nienaber then reclaimed his crown as king of the hitters in 2023 and this season the man top of the tree is........ Rory McIlroy.

The Northern Irishman averaged 328.71 yards off the tee, gaining a remarkable 27.09 yards on the field and hitting it over five yards further than his nearest competitor Oliver Bekker.

Niklas Nørgaard, Marco Penge, Hennie du Plessis and Alejandro del Rey were the only players to get within ten yards of McIlroy but Nienaber is back on Tour in 2025 after regaining his card through the Qualifying School - let battle commence.

Driving accuracy

The percentage of fairways found per round

There is much to be said for consistency and for the second season in a row Adrian Otaegui tops our driving accuracy charts.

While his rate of hitting 69.44% of fairways is slightly down on last season, it is still nearly 2% higher than that of nearest challenger Joel Girrbach and 12.32% better than the field average.

Shane Lowry, Thomas Aiken and Andy Sullivan close ot the top five, where Otaegui also found himself in 2022.

Greens in regulation

The percentage of greens hit in regulation per round, i.e. one for par threes, two for par fours, three for par fives

A perennial contender in this category after finishing fourth and second the past two seasons, Tommy Fleetwood has finally claimed the title as the DP World Tour's most accurate iron player.

His rate of 74.51% is 0.44% ahead of Joaquin Niemann and 7.02% ahead of the field, with Jordan Smith, Brandon Stone and Tyrrell Hatton also featuring in the top five.

An impressive 31 players had an average of over 70%.

Scoring average

The average number of strokes taken per round

If golf is essentially a game about getting the ball in the hole in the least number of shots then it seems fitting that the man who won the Harry Vardon Trophy should top this metric and so it proved with McIlroy topping it for the third year in a row.

His average of 68.50 betters his marks from 2022 and 2023 and is 0.40 clear of nearest challenger Fleetwood, the only other player to average less than 69 strokes a round having played the exact same amount with 50.

Thomas Detry, Jon Rahm and Harry Hall complete the top five.

Scrambling

The average frequency, as a percentage, of a player scoring par or better on holes where they missed the GIR

Spanish hands is one of the great clichés in the game but some things are cliché for a reason and Jon Rahm tops our list of players saving shots around the green.

In 16 rounds he missed 86 greens but successfully scrambled 58 times, a rate of 67.44% that is 0.77% better than nearest challenger Fleetwood, who topped this metric last season.

Matti Schmid, McIlroy and Bernd Wiesberger complete the top five.

Most eagles

It is almost impossible to make an eagle without a quality tee-shot so it is little surprise that the big-hitting Niklas Nørgaard tops this chart with 23 over the season, with his average eagles per round also making the top ten at 0.22.

Fellow Dane Rasmus Højgaard and Del Rey are next with 20 eagles each followed by Sullivan on 19 and Shubhankar Sharma on 18.

There were 18 players who made 15 eagles or more.

Most birdies

He may top this list but Casey Jarvis will be wishing he had made two more gains after registering 498 across the season.

That is 41 more than nearest challenger Sam Bairstow, who played 13 fewer rounds, with Nørgaard on 447 and Johannes Veerman on 421 alongside Angel Hidalgo.

McIlroy made the most birdies per round with 221 across 46 rounds handing him an average of 4.80.

Wins

Without impressing in at least one of the above categories you will struggle to get any of these but wins are the things that will be remembered and in the 2024 season we had five players record two victories.

We had not even reached Christmas 2023 before both Dean Burmester and Louis Oosthuizen won in back-to-back weeks on the Opening Swing.

McIlroy then claimed a brace of Rolex Series wins at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic and DP World Tour Championship either side of Xander Schauffele's Major double at the US PGA and Open Championships.

Scottie Scheffler also won a Major as he picked up a second Green Jacket at the Masters before winning Olympic gold at Paris 2024.

europeantour.com

Bryan Angus (edit)

John Parry caps at prolific 2024 at AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open... final Results

 DP World Tour : AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open Results

John Parry capped a stellar 2024 by claiming a second DP World Tour title more than 14 years on from his first as a brilliant burst of scoring on the back nine saw him win the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open by two shots.

On a day when the Englishman started five shots off the lead he carded an eagle, seven birdies and a bogey to sign for a stunning 64 and set the clubhouse target at -14 

With third-round co-leader Dylan Naidoo still making his way down the back nine, Parry faced an anxious wait, but when the South African did not make the eagle he required to force a play-off at the last, Parry was able to celebrate his return to the DP World Tour winner's circle.

Although his last victory at this level came at the Vivendi Cup 2010, Parry is no stranger to lifting trophies, having won three times on the European Challenge Tour this calendar year.

South Africans Naidoo and Christo Lamprecht finished in a tie for second, two shots behind Parry, on -12 one ahead of countryman Jovan Rebula.

After three birdies and one bogey on the front side saw him turn in 34, Parry's final round burst into life on the homeward nine as he chipped in for an eagle at the 12th to get within one shot of the lead.

The 38-year-old followed that up with back-to-back gains on the 13th and 14th before an eight-foot birdie on the 16th handed him the outright lead.

He produced a shot-of-the-week contender off the 17th tee before being unable to convert the six-foot birdie putt but made amends at the last as he closed his round with a fine birdie to go two clear and give himself breathing space at the summit.

Parry secured a long-awaited DP World Tour victory and finished top of the Opening Swing Rankings, making him exempt into all 'Back 9' tournaments and earning him a US$200,000 bonus.

Having won the Delhi Challenge in March, the Blot Open de Bretagne in June, the Italian Challenge Open in September and now the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, 2024 represents a real return to prominence for Parry, who revealed he was close to giving up golf a number of years ago amid a struggle for form and results.

"It's massive," he said. "I don't know how long ago - five or six years ago - I was back on the EuroPro Tour and I was close to giving up golf after winning when I was 23 out here.

"So it's been a long battle back but worth every moment for this week.

EDIT *** Overnight co-leader Eddie Pepperell couldn't maintain his earlier form, slipping to a final round 74 T9 -9. 

The Tour now disperses to gather again in Dubai early in January, 2025.

europeantour.com

Bryan Angus (edit)

6 players within 3 shots atop AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open..54 hole results

 DP World Tour : AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open : Leaderboard

Golf is a fickle beast. Confidence is hard earned and in tough times perspective can be hard to retain, yet it can reward you when you least expect it.

Having lost his full playing rights on the DP World Tour at the end of last season, before narrowly missing out at Qualifying School, Eddie Pepperell held a share of the halfway lead at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open. Christmas might just come early for the popular Englishman.

This just a week on from missing the cut at the Alfred Dunhill Championship the belief gained from his second-round 70 appears to have carried over to Mauritius.

“[Confidence] probably goes quicker than it comes back but as we who play the game all know, if you are a good player and can find something the confidence can come back quite fast," said Pepperell.

"You have just got to keep that magic as long as you can.

"It is a fickle thing. I always think confidence is the icing and the cherry on top of the cake, but it is by no means the cake.

"The more rounds of golf and period of time you can have playing well, confidence can blossom."

Pepperell said after Thursday's first round he was treating this week as a belated honeymoon with his wife, Jennifer

That confidence continued on Saturday where he posted a 3rd round 69 to share the 54 hole lead at -11 with South African Dylan Naidoo who displayed some wonderful putting and shot a superb -6 66. They will be in the final pairing on Sunday along with the Dane Jacob Skov Olesen 67 -10

Pepperell joined Naidoo at the top of the leaderboard with his final putt of the day, rolling in from ten feet on the 18th to remain on course for a wire-to-wire victory that would erase the memory of missing out on a DP World Tour card at Qualifying School last month.

"The way I’m managing my game, the way the conditions are, if you offered me that ball-striking tomorrow I would take it, weighted towards better driving, because I think I can get round here in three, four, five under par managing myself and my game well and that could be enough in windy conditions.

The penultimate pairing will be two South Africans Jovan Rebula 67 -9, Jayden Schaper 68 -8 and American Corey Shaun 66 -8.

Those 6 are with 3 shots of each other for what should end the 2024 year in a Sunday shootout.

Mathieu Wood, europeantour.com

Bryan Angus (edit)

Eddie Pepperell leads with hopes of redemption in Mauritius..18 hole results..

 DP World Tour : AfrAsia Mauritius Open. .Leaderboard Tee Times Weather

Eddie Pepperell produced a big finish to lead by one shot after the first round of the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open.

With windy conditions at Mont Choisy Le Golf making life difficult for the afternoon starters, Jacob Skov Olesen's -5 67 total saw him lead for much of the day.

But Pepperell saved his best until last, closing his 66 with a hat-trick of birdies to reach -6 to overtake Dane Olesen at the top of the leaderboard.

The two-time DP World Tour winner suffered the disappointment of missing out on his card by one shot at Qualifying School last month but he looked back to his best on Thursday.

Olesen, who became the first Danish winner of The Amateur Championship at Ballyliffin in the summer before securing his DP World Tour card at Qualifying School, fired an eagle and three birdies in his spotless -5 67 to sit alone in second place.

Italian Renato Paratore, Norway's Andreas Halvorsen, Dane Hamish Brown and South Africans Jayden Schaper, Jacques Blaauw and Wilco Nienaber were tied for third -4 68

Pepperell bounced straight back from a bogey at the second with his first birdie of the day at the third before picking up another shot from six feet on the fifth.

He closed the front nine with a birdie after sending his approach at the ninth to tap-in range.

And after a quiet start to the back nine, Pepperell's round burst into life in the closing stages, as he took advantage of the long 14th before chipping in for an unlikely birdie on the 16th.

A stunning tee-shot at the par-three 17th led to a birdie there before he took the solo lead with a third successive birdie from around four feet on the 18th.

Pepperell, who has his wife Jen on the bag this week, said: "I am pleased with that. I wasn't expecting it, I wouldn't have said.

"After bogeying the second hole I was worried it was going to be one of those Thursdays again, a bit like last week in the windy conditions.

"But I turned it around really nicely and played very well, to be honest, on the whole. So I'm very pleased.

"Good finish. I told myself on the 15th 'just keep your head down, let it happen'. It's been a while since I've been in a position where you're three, four, five under par at the top of the leaderboard - even on a Thursday.

"So sometimes it can get in your head and it could have done but I just tried to keep my head down, focus and keep doing what I've been doing on the range yesterday and today, and it seemed to work."

europeantour.com

Bryan Angus

DP World Tour : Last event 2024, AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open... Live scoring

 DP World Tour : AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open. .Leaderboard

It's the last event of the 2024 calendar year in the paradise island of Mauritius for the DP World Tour before what's left of the players finally pack up the clubs and head home for Christmas before reconvening in Dubai in January 2025.

 Rasmus Hojgaard 2020 winner.

The AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open is the last chance for the winner to get an early Christmas present that may change his life altogether. 

Click on my link above for all the live scoring.

Currently another young Danish player, 25 year old Jacob Olesen has the clubhouse lead -5 67 while veteran Englishman 33 year old Eddie Pepperell is trying to regain his full playing status for 2025 is tied with him late in his round.

Bryan Angus

Veteran Shaun Norris outlasts the field to win Alfred Dunhill Championship. Final results

 DP World Tour : Alfred Dunhill Championship Results

Home favourite Shaun Norris claimed his second DP World Tour title in style after coming from way back to win the Alfred Dunhill Championship by a single shot.

The 42-year-old South African began the final round six shots off the lead but fired a stunning 67 on Sunday to set the clubhouse target at -13.

With many players in the final groups still in contention, it was not clear whether Norris' total would be enough to earn him the trophy.

But Leopard Creek Country Club's difficult closing stretch picked off the chasing pack one by one until only countryman Ryan van Velzen had a realistic chance of denying Norris at least a play-off.

Van Velzen was locked alongside Norris at the summit as he stood at the 18th tee but after he put his approach shot into the water, the 23-year-old was unable to save par and Norris clinched the title.

Third-round leader Marcus Kinhult 74, Van Velzen 72 and England's John Parry 69 finished in a three-way tie for second, one shot behind Norris on -12.

Norris got off to a flying start, holing his enormous putt from just off the second green for an excellent eagle.

A birdie followed at the sixth but he would surrender a double bogey on the par-three seventh after finding the water there.

He bounced straight back with a birdie at the eighth before rolling in his downhill birdie putt on the 11th.

A six-foot birdie at the long 13th then took him to -12 and within one shot of the lead.

And he grabbed a share of the lead on -13 with a ten-foot putt for birdie at the 15th.

But he saved his best until the final hole, as his tricky third shot from a fairway bunker avoided danger and allowed him to two-putt for par.

After Van Velzen's bogey on the last, an emotional Norris was left to celebrate his return to the winner's circle just two weeks after he won the Golf Nippon Series JT Cup in Japan and 20 years after his debut on the DP World Tour.

Norris said: "I'm very happy that it worked out this way.

"Words can't describe (winning a second DP World Tour title). This last year has been very tough. It's been up and down and all over the place. But thanks to God, my family, my wife. We've kept it together.

"Winning two weeks ago in Japan and then winning this week - what a blessing."

"This title means everything to me.

"To win here at Leopard Creek, which is always in spectacular condition and where we’ve had such good champions such as Ernie Els, Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen - to now put my name on this trophy is a blessing.

"This changes a few things for me. I’ve got so much to look forward to over the next few years.

"But now it’s time for a holiday."

europeantour.com

Bryan Angus

After 54 holes Alfred Dunhill Championship: Swede Kinhult leads by two.. Scores Weather, TEE Times

 DP World Tour : Alfred Dunhill Championship Leaderboard Tee Times Weather

Marcus Kinhult will take a two-shot lead into Sunday's fourth round as he goes in search of a second DP World Tour title at the Alfred Dunhill Championship.

Kinhult started the day with a three-shot cushion before being joined at the top of the leaderboard by the time he reached the turn as the chasing pack closed in on a much cooler day at Leopard Creek Country Club.

But a brilliant back-nine 35, including a birdie at the last, saw him reach -14  and head into the final round with a healthy advantage over nearest challenger Ryan van Velzen.

The Swede made a total of six birdies and three bogeys in his third-round 69, with home favourite Van Velzen firing an eagle and five birdies in his flawless 65 to sit alone in second place on -12, one clear of Dutchman Darius van Driel in third at -11

Kinhult then finished with a flourish, sending his bunker shot on the 18th to tap-in range before closing with a birdie to take a two-shot lead into the final round.

"It was a bit more of a grind today," said Kinhult, who is searching for his first win since the 2019 Betfred British Masters. "The good was very good but I left myself in some tough positions as well and had to grind.

"I think I did pretty well. It feels like it was less greens in regulation and more pressure on the short game today.

"Sleeping on a lead is not easy, I think. It's only Saturday so it wasn't that bad - I actually slept all right last night and hope I will tonight again.

"I enjoy playing this golf course and I look forward to the challenge tomorrow."

Click on my links above for scoring, Sunday weather and Tee Times..

europeantour.com

Bryan Angus (edit)

Temperatures soar over 100*f at Alfred Dunhill Championship....full 36 hole results

 DP World Tour : Alfred Dunhill Championship Leaderboard Weather

 Marcus Kinhult will take a commanding three-shot lead into the weekend at the Alfred Dunhill Championship after following up Thursday's stunning 65 with a second-round 68 on another red hot day at Leopard Creek Country Club where temperatures soared to 43*c well over 100*f

The Swede began the day a single shot off the lead after producing the lowest afternoon score in sweltering heat on day one.

And he continued to impress on Friday, making the most of cooler morning conditions before the temperature rose later in his round.

The 28-year-old, whose only DP World Tour title to date came at the 2019 Betfred British Masters, made a total of seven birdies and three bogeys in his 68 to reach -11.

None of the afternoon starters came close to catching Kinhult at the summit, with home favourite Dean Burmester, England's Dale Whitnell and Italian Andrea Pavan his nearest challengers on -8

Kinhult said: "It was hot. It was actually OK this morning, I would say, but after five or six holes I got the umbrella up and tried to hide under that for most of the day.

"It was a good day so I'm happy.

"Yesterday was really good, I'm super happy with that round. I feel like I played well today also but I didn't quite take advantage of the par fives today. I think that was the only difference.

"But I'm not upset. It was a good score today and I'm looking forward to two more rounds.

"Hopefully we can keep improving and we'll see where that takes us."

edit *** The cut dropped from -1 to Even half way through the round giving Louis Oosthuizen and Canada's Aaron Cockerill both 71 73 E amongst others, hopes of playing the weekend, however as the scores came in the top 60 and ties moved it back to a final -1.

Cockerill who is from Winnipeg where it is -23*c, (now living in Dubai) will now take the family back to Canada for Christmas.

europeantour.com

Bryan Angus (edit)

Aaron Cockerill's career record and travel in the 2024 season.

This year Aaron has been playing in some bigger events due to his T50 finish in the Race To Dubai. He has completed the best year of his career winning over $1.3 million and making the cut in 19 of 27 events. He also had 4 top10 finishes.

 

He says winning and making the Tour Championship were 2 of his goals he was delighted to make one.

His season really was buoyed in my opinion by his T15 at the Alfred Dunhill Championship before Christmas 2023,  then his T4 in late January at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic won by Rory. Aaron shot 71 67 72 68 that week.

Playing well he then proceeded to T6 at the Bahrain Championship at the start of February so his 2024 was off to a flying start..

He would go on to play in Qatar, Kenya, RSA, Singapore, India, China and Belgium.

I have drilled down a little in his results since his 10th place finish at the Italian Open at the end of June:

July/ August 

He missed every cut, the BMW in Germany, the Genesis, the Czech Masters and the Danish.

September 

In Switzerland he T47 then had a great week at the Irish Open T9 then played well T35 at the Flagship BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth both big DP World Tour events, before missing the cut at the Spanish Open

October 

He opened with T13 at the French Open, then  T43 in Andalucia Masters before MC in Korea.

November 

T46 in the Abu Dhabi playoff to make the top 50 for the DP World Tour championship where he finished last T49 for his first time there.

December 

He qualified for the Nedbank Challenge no cut field, finished well down, T52 in tough conditions on the Gary Player GC. Now this week at the Alfred Dunhill full field at Leopard Creek he has missed the cut E after he shot 71 73. The cut fell at -1 after moving several times.

He is currently 85th Race to Dubai and 274th (owgr)

After this week he is leaving the 100*f heat of South Africa off to Manitoba with the family for Christmas where it was -23 recently.

Comments : (credit Ken Wiebe Winnipeg Free Press)

“The two goals are always to win and to make it to the DP World Tour Championship, so I got one of the two this year. “Overall, I was very consistent throughout the year. No crazy high finishes, my best finish was a fourth (at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic), but a lot of consistency, which I was proud of. Lots of Top-25’s, which probably doesn’t sound that impressive, but it’s a lot of consistent golf.

“The difference between a 20th and a 10th and a fifth is pretty small, honestly. So, if I keep putting myself in position and keep doing that more and more next year, hopefully the win is coming.”

“Something I’m trying to improve is that approach play. It was definitely a bit better this year. In terms of my own stats and breaking it down by categories with (coach and fellow Manitoban) Derek Ingram, on my weeks that I was on, I was hitting it a little closer to the hole and I was making a few more birdies.

“That’s something we had talked about. When you’re playing well, you’ve got to make the most of it. You’ve got to take slightly more aggressive lines when you’re playing well. I’ve always been a pretty good putter. Tee balls come and go, but the irons this year were a little bit better when I was on.”

Now that I’ve started to have some of those pairings the odd time and play with some of the bigger names and see them quite often,” said Cockerill, who had four Top-10 finishes in 2024. “When I first came out on the DP Tour, Rory was there at one of the events and I didn’t want to go beside him on the range. I was shying away and stuff like that. Now I get to see and play with those guys a decent amount. I got to play with Tommy Fleetwood on Saturday at Wentworth Golf Club (for the BMW PGA Championship).

“There were probably six people deep in the gallery for the entire day. So that was a great experience.”

“To play with those guys and realize there’s probably not that much of a difference, they’re probably just a little more consistent than I am,” said Cockerill. “That’s encouraging to see and it makes you want to work a little bit harder than you already are and get to those guys’ level.”

On his Full-time move to Dubai and the transition to being a first-time father: 

“With a baby (that turns two in February) and moving, there’s been lots of change in the last little while. But now we’re slowly getting used to those things and it’s been a positive effect,” said Cockerill. “With the direct flights everywhere, there’s not as much jet lag and I’m not shovelling snow and hitting balls in the garage and trying to go and play against the boys the next day, it’s been helpful and that’s been part of the successful season that I’ve had.”

Bryan Angus

Sullivan leads at Alfred Dunhill Championship....18 hole results..

 DP World Tour : Alfred Dunhill Championship Leaderboard

Andy Sullivan continued his love affair with South Africa as he posted a spotless -8 64 to lead by one shot after the first round of the Alfred Dunhill Championship and Leopard Creek with all the magnificent animals from Kruger National Park on full display

Starting from the tenth tee on Thursday morning, Englishman Sullivan made four birdies on his front nine before adding four more on the way home, producing some nice par saves along the way to keep his card clean.

That saw him set the early clubhouse target at -8 and none of the later starters were able to catch him in the blistering afternoon heat.

Behind Sullivan 65 in a three-way tie for second were countryman Alex Fitzpatrick 65, home favourite Casey Jarvis 65 and Swede Marcus Kinhult - who shot the best score of the afternoon - on -7

South Africa is a home from home for Sullivan, having secured his first two DP World Tour victories in the country in 2015.

And he has played well there recently too, finishing in a tie for 14th in tricky conditions at last week's Nedbank Golf Challenge. 

Sullivan said: "Obviously coming back to South Africa is a feel-good factor, winning my first event down here.

"I always get a good following and support, always feel comfortable and am always enjoying myself so generally play decent golf."

Sullivan was pleased to make a fast start to the week, saying it is key to do so at this venue.

He added: "It's important to get off to a good start because you know at the weekend it's going to get tougher and tougher.

"This place generally doesn't get easier so getting off to a good start's nice, gives you that little bit of a buffer, but you know you're in for a serious grind over the next couple of days.

"I've been putting well. I putted well all of last year and the putting was really good today - saved me a couple of times and I holed some good birdie putts.

"But I felt like the greens suit me so I've just got to keep the long game going."

edit *** Canada's Aaron Cockerill from Winnipeg where its -23c today while 42*c at Leopards Creek or 111*f tomorrow,  posted -1 71 T36. Weather

europeantour.com

Bryan Angus (edit)

Thursday TEE TIMES Alfred Dunhill Championship...Stifling heat predicted near 45*c

 DP World Tour : Alfred Dunhill Championships Tee Times

Click on my link above for the TEE TIMES at this year's Alfred Dunhill Championship at spectacular Leopards Creek which is adjacent to Kruger National Park, separated by the Crocodile River.

If you have the golf channel listen for Tony Johnstone on the call. He is a wonderful photographer who has the "bush in his blood" lives in RSA, and had a European Tour career before retiring and turning to broadcasting. He will entertain you with his descriptions on all the animals  they capture during the tournament coverage.

A long way from home in Winnipeg Aaron Cockerill is in the field again this week after finishing T52 last week in Sun City 76 74 70 77 +9 where  the wind was up for 3 rounds and the Gary Player GC played very tough. The winning score was only at -5 over 2 holes.

He is now ranked #85 in this season's Race to Dubai after being as high as #9 last year after a stellar T4 finish at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic won by Rory McIlroy.

Aaron his wife Chelsea and daughter Addison live in Dubai now. 

Note : the temperatures predicted for Thursday / Friday is a blistering 40*c and 46*c

Bryan Angus

This week's field Alfred Dunhill Championship.

 DP World Tour : Alfred Dunhill Championship Entry List

The DP World Tour’s Opening Swing continues in South Africa this week as Leopard Creek plays host to the Alfred Dunhill Championship.

History of the event

Adam Scott is congratulated by Justin Rose after winning the Alfred Dunhill Championship in 2001

The Alfred Dunhill Championship is an official co-sanctioned event on the DP World Tour and Sunshine Tour. First staged in 2000, the tournament’s origins pre-date that to Dunhill’s sponsorship of the South African PGA Championship from 1996 to 1999 inclusive, which was one of the first tournaments the DP World Tour ever co-sanctioned globally. Held at Houghton Golf Club for its first four editions, the Alfred Dunhill Championship moved to its current home of Leopard Creek in 2004. Over the years, it has hosted former World Number One golfers, Major winners, Ryder Cup and President Cup players. Renowned global figures Adam Scott, Justin Rose and Charl Schwartzel all won their first professional titles at the event.

Oosthuizen defends

Louis Oosthuizen ended a five-year wait for his tenth DP World Tour title as he claimed victory 12 months ago at an event he had long sought after. A runner-up in 2005 and 2014, the former Open Champion sat four shots adrift of the lead at the halfway stage before a third-round 63 catapulted him into a share of the lead alongside fellow Major winner Schwartzel. But the threat of lightning and heavy rain affected the final round on Sunday as play was pushed to a Monday finish, with Oosthuizen holding off the challenge of his countryman to seal a two-shot victory after a closing round of 69. Almost a year on, he returns to Leopard Creek hoping to achieve a rare piece of history by becoming only the third player in the event’s history to successfully defend their title. Schwartzel achieved the feat in 2012 and 2013, while Spain’s Pablo Martin did so in 2009 and 2010. 

edit ****He currently plays on the LIV, but because this event is co-sanctioned by the Sunshine Tour the DP World Tour ban does not apply.

South Africa’s Dunhill dominance

Victory for Oosthuizen continued South Africa’s stranglehold over the event, particularly since it moved from Houghton Golf Club to Leopard Creek in 2005. Since 2011, nine of the last 11 winners have hailed from South Africa with the United States’ David Lipsky and Spain’s Pablo Larrazábal, winners in 2018 and 2019 respectively, the two exceptions. In total, since its inaugural edition at the turn of the century, there have been nine different homegrown winners, including former World Number One and four-time Major winner Ernie Els. But the man with the greatest history in this event is Schwartzel who has won the event a record four times.

Inside the field

Eight of the last 13 champions of the Alfred Dunhill Championship are teeing it up this week as a field of stars from the DP World Tour and Sunshine Tour compete for a total purse of €1.5 million. Among the past champions are home favourites Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Brandon Stone and Ockie Strydom, who made his first DP World Tour start since the BMW PGA Championship through injury at last week’s Nedbank Golf Challenge. 2024 Sunshine Tour Order of Merit winner Ryan van Velzen and fellow rising stars Aldrich Potgieter and Robin Williams will also draw much home interest. Thriston Lawrence, who will be teeing it up on the PGA TOUR next season, will also be looking to impress as he targets a third DP World Tour title on home soil, while countryman Dean Burmester is one of 12 winners on the 2024 Race to Dubai in action. Among those are David Ravetto, Frederic Lacroix and Julien Guerrier, last season’s trio of French first-time DP World Tour winners. 

Tom McKibbin, who claimed a PGA TOUR card for 2025, returns to the event after finishing tied 13th on his debut in 2022. Having narrowly missed out on retaining his card for this season at Qualifying School last month, Eddie Pepperell makes his first start of the 2025 Race to Dubai after receiving an invite. Fellow Englishman Nathan Kimsey makes his return to DP World Tour action for the first time in 11 months, having not played since the Ras Al Khaimah Championship through a wrist injury, while Scotland's Gregor Graham - a winner of the prestigious Brabazon Trophy and South African Amateur earlier this year - makes his professional debut.

edit ** Canada's Aaron Cockerill is also listed in the field after playing last week in Sun City.

Challenge Tour graduates out to impress

While this may be the fourth event of the DP World Tour’s Opening Swing on the 2025 Race to Dubai, for some it marks their first start of the new campaign. 

Among those are a plethora of Challenge Tour graduates, including Denmark’s Hamish Brown, Ireland’s Conor Purcell and England’s Brandon Robinson Thompson. 

Another of those, five-time DP World Tour winner Alexander Levy is remarkably making his first appearance back at Leopard Creek since 2015. Much is also expected of fellow Frenchman Martin Couvra, who won both the South African Stroke Play Championship and South African Amateur Championship in 2023. Oliver Lindell of Finland and Spain’s Angel Ayora both impressed as they kicked off their campaigns in Australia last month, highlighting the talent within the Road to Mallorca Class of 2024.

europeantour.com

Bryan Angus (edit)

Johannes Veerman 2nd DP World Tour win. Final results, prize money

 DP World Tour : Nedbank Golf Challenge Results

 American Johannes Veerman claimed his second DP World Tour title in dramatic fashion after firing a stunning final-round 69 to win the 2025 Nedbank Golf Challenge by a single shot.

Veerman started the day five strokes off the lead but carded six birdies and three bogeys in testing conditions to set a -5 clubhouse target for the final groups to aim at.

And it went right to the wire, with a bogey on the last denying South African Aldrich Potgieter the chance to face Veerman in a play-off.

 On a breathless afternoon at Gary Player Country Club, the 20-year-old surrendered a triple bogey at the par-three 12th to hand Veerman a shock lead.

There were twists and turns still to come, though, as for the second day in succession the 14th gave Potgieter cause for hope, with a brilliant birdie putting him back in front.

But with Veerman safely parring the 18th to head into the clubhouse on -5 Potgieter bogeyed the 16th to join him on that number before missing a good birdie chance on the 17th.

That left the pair locked together at the summit as Potgieter teed off on the 18th, where a closing bogey handed Veerman an emotional victory on his Sun City debut.

Potgieter 75, Romain Langasque 71 and Matthew Jordan 72, finished in a T2 one shot behind Veerman.

Veerman said: "I didn't have the best seasons the last two years. I put a lot of work in, me and my team - countless hours.

"To win this season, to start off this season with a win is indescribable.

"I knew I had a chance but actually thought I might have lost it on the 16th when I three-putted and missed that putt.

"That one really hurt but it doesn't even matter!"

The win is worth 979,274 euros or $1,025,090 US.

EDIT ** It was a good week for two of the three Canadians with Olympic team mates Mac Hughes 72 and Corey Conners 71 T6 -2 worth 137,522 euros ( $145,441 US)

DP World Tour regular Aaron Cockerill 77,  T52 +9. 21,$182 euros ($22,402)

Next week the tour travels SE 522 kilometers from Sun City to Malelane for the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek..

europeantour.com

Bryan Angus (edit)

T6 finish Hughes / Conners at Nedbank Golf Challenge, Johannes Veerman wins..Live scoreboard

 DP World Tour : Nedbank Golf Challenge Leaderboard

With a playoff looming at Nedbank Golf Challenge, the Canadian trio are finished for the week.

 Aaron Cockerill had a tough week on this very difficult Gary Player GC in very hot, calm weather. He T52 76 74 70 77 +9

However Olympic team mates Mac Hughes and Corey Conners are safely in the clubhouse. Corey chipped in at the 72nd to finish in style 72 76 67 71 -2, recovering nicely from his opening 2 rounds.

Hughes was aided by 2 free drops after an errant drive into the trees on his 72nd, and another in the greenside rough. He took full advantage finishing with a par 4, his week 71 73 70 72 -2.

edit ** American, Johannes Veerman posted a clubhouse 70 71 73 69 -5 then watched as leader South African Aldrich Potgieter had a triple bogey and a crucial bogey at the 72nd signing for +3 75 to finish T2 -4 along with England's Matthew Jordan 69 72 71 72 -4 and Frenchman Romain Langasque 70 70 73 71 -4.

This is Veerman's 2nd DP World Tour win on his debut at Nedbank Golf Challenge.

Bryan Angus