PGA Tour fan favorites headline field at Gary Player’s DP World Tour event in South Africa

Max Homa and Will Zalatoris are headed to South Africa in December.

The two Americans will tee it up in the Nedbank Golf Challenge at the Gary Player Country Club in Sun City, as Homa will arrive as the defending champion. The former California Golden Bear won the 2023 edition in his debut, finishing four strokes ahead of Ryder Cup star Nicolai Højgaard of Denmark. Homa now hopes to defend his title and win his second DP World Tour event overall.

Zalatoris, meanwhile, will be making his debut.

“I’m thrilled to be heading to South Africa for the Nedbank Golf Challenge,” Zalatoris said.

“I’ve had amazing experiences playing in DP World Tour tournaments around the globe, and I’m confident South Africa will be just as memorable. I’ve heard a lot about the tournament and its rich history, which is one of the most prestigious events on the Tour. Plus, the chance to experience a new country and culture, it will be a great week.”

Zalatoris has not played in a DP World Tour event—not co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour—since 2021. That year, he tied for 37th at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai. The former Wake Forest Demon Deacon missed most of 2023 after suffering a back injury at The Masters. But he bounced back with a solid season in 2024, which includes a runner-up at the Genesis Invitational and a top-10 at Augusta National. He also finished among the top-50 in the final FedEx Cup standings, thus guaranteeing a spot in each Signature Event next season.

Other notables in this year’s Nedbank Challenge field include Canadian Corey Conners, and a pair of South African standouts, Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Erik van Rooyen. Bezuidenhout and van Rooyen represented South Africa at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

This edition of the Nedbank Golf Challenge will mark the third event of the 2025 DP World Tour season. The new year kicks off with the BMW Australian PGA Championship in Brisbane and the ISPS Handa Australian Open at Kingston Heath in Melborune in late November.

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.