The Nedbank Golf Challenge, previously known as the Million Dollar Challenge, is an annual men's professional golf tournament played at the Gary Player Country Club in Sun City, North West province, South Africa. It was first played in 1981 and takes place towards the end of the year in November or December.

For many years the tournament was a small-field invitational stroke play event with typically 12 players competing. Since it became a European Tour event in 2013, the field size has increased from 30 (2013–2015) to 72 (2016–present). Originally it was not an official event for any of the major tours.

From 2010 to 2012, a separate tournament for senior golfers was held concurrently.

History The first tournament was played from 31 December 1981 to 4 January 1982 with a field of 5: Seve Ballesteros, Johnny Miller, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Lee Trevino. Ballesteros and Miller tied on 277 with Nicklaus a stroke behind after he missed a putt at the final hole. Miller beat Ballesteros at the ninth hole of a sudden-death playoff. The pair played the 16th to 18th holes three times before Ballesteros three-putted. Miller won $500,000 out of total prize money of $1,000,000.

The date was moved to early December 1982 for the second tournament, with 10 players competing. Total prize money remained at $1,000,000 with $300,000 for the winner and $50,000 for the 10th player. There was another playoff, with Raymond Floyd beating Craig Stadler at the fourth extra hole. The format remained unchanged from 1983 to 1986 with the event played in early December each year.

The 1987 event introduced a winner-take-all $1,000,000 first prize, although there were additional prizes for the lowest round each day. The field was reduced to 8 players. Ian Woosnam won by 4 strokes and took the first million dollar prize in golf. The winner-take-all idea was dropped for 1988, although the first prize remained as $1,000,000. The format remained largely unchanged through 1999, with the first prize always $1,000,000, although the field increased from 8 to 10 in 1989 and to 12 from 1993. There were two playoffs during this period. In 1996 Colin Montgomerie beat Ernie Els with a birdie at the third extra hole, while in 1998 Nick Price beat Tiger Woods with a birdie at the fifth extra hole.

In 2006, the tournament carried World Rankings points for the first time since 1999. In 2013 it was expanded to 30 players: the defending tournament champion; the top 10 PGA Tour FedEx Cup players, the top 10 European Tour Race to Dubai players; the Sunshine Tour, Asian Tour, Japan Golf Tour and PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit winners; the Alfred Dunhill Championship winner; and the top 5 South African players in the World Rankings.

From 2000 to 2002 the first prize was increased to US$2 million, but the following year the winner's share of the total prize fund was reduced from more than half to around 30%. The standard winner's share on the PGA Tour is 18% and on the European Tour it is 16.67%. In 2006 the winner received $1.2 million out of a total purse of US$4.385 million, so the prize distribution is now not far from the normal pattern for a professional tournament, once allowance is made for the small size of the field. That US$2 million first prize remained the largest in professional golf, but was matched in 2011 by the Lake Malaren Shanghai Masters.

The 2016 event was part of the European Tour Final Series, replacing the BMW Masters, while in 2017 the event was part of the new Rolex Series. Since 2016, the field of 72 consists of the top 64 available players from the current year Race to Dubai standings, the defending champion, the winner of the Sunshine Tour order of merit from previous year, and tournament invitations.

Winners European Tour (Rolex Series)2017–2019European Tour (Race to Dubai finals series)2016European Tour (Regular)2013–2015, 2022– Sunshine Tour2006–2012Unofficial event1981–2005 #YearTour(s)WinnerScoreTo parMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-upPurse($)Winner'sshare ($)Nedbank Golf Challenge43rd 2025 AFR, EUR Kristoffer Reitan 271 −17 1 stroke Dan Bradbury Jayden Schaper 6,000,000 1,020,00042nd 2024 AFR, EUR Johannes Veerman 283 −5 1 stroke Matthew Jordan Romain Langasque Aldrich Potgieter 6,000,000 1,020,00041st 2023 EUR Max Homa 269 −19 4 strokes Nicolai Højgaard 6,000,000 1,020,00040th 2022 AFR, EUR Tommy Fleetwood (2) 277 −11 1 stroke Ryan Fox 6,000,000 1,020,000– 2021 AFR, EUR Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic– 2020 AFR, EUR39th 2019 AFR, EUR Tommy Fleetwood 276 −12 Playoff Marcus Kinhult 7,500,0002,500,00038th 2018 EUR Lee Westwood (3) 273 −15 3 strokes Sergio García 7,500,0001,250,00037th 2017 EUR Branden Grace 277 −11 1 stroke Scott Jamieson 7,500,0001,166,66036th 2016 EUR Alex Norén 274 −14 6 strokes Wang Jeung-hun 7,000,000 1,166,66035th 2015 AFR, EUR Marc Leishman 269 −19 6 strokes Henrik Stenson 6,500,000 1,250,00034th 2014 AFR, EUR Danny Willett 270 −18 4 strokes Ross Fisher 6,500,000 1,250,00033rd 2013 AFR, EUR Thomas Bjørn 268 −20 2 strokes Jamie Donaldson Sergio García 6,500,000 1,250,00032nd 2012 AFR Martin Kaymer 280 −8 2 strokes Charl Schwartzel 5,000,000 1,250,00031st 2011 AFR Lee Westwood (2) 273 −15 2 strokes Robert Karlsson 5,000,000 1,250,00030th 2010 AFR Lee Westwood 271 −17 8 strokes Tim Clark 5,000,000 1,250,00029th 2009 AFR Robert Allenby 277 −11 Playoff Henrik Stenson 4,385,000 1,200,00028th 2008 AFR Henrik Stenson 267 −21 9 strokes Kenny Perry 4,385,000 1,200,00027th 2007 AFR Trevor Immelman 272 −16 1 stroke Justin Rose 4,385,000 1,200,00026th 2006 AFR Jim Furyk (2) 276 −12 2 strokes Henrik Stenson 4,385,000 1,200,00025th 2005 Jim Furyk 282 −6 Playoff Darren Clarke Retief Goosen Adam Scott 4,060,000 1,200,00024th 2004 Retief Goosen 281 −7 6 strokes Stuart Appleby Ernie Els 4,060,000 1,200,00023rd 2003 Sergio García (2) 274 −14 Playoff Retief Goosen 4,060,000 1,200,00022nd 2002 Ernie Els (3) 267 −21 8 strokes Colin Montgomerie 4,060,000 2,000,00021st 2001 Sergio García 268 −20 Playoff Ernie Els 4,060,000 2,000,00020th 2000 Ernie Els (2) 268 −20 Playoff Lee Westwood 4,060,000 2,000,000Nedbank Million Dollar Challenge19th 1999 Ernie Els 263 −25 5 strokes Colin Montgomerie 2,500,000 1,000,00018th 1998 Nick Price (3) 273 −15 Playoff Tiger Woods 2,500,000 1,000,00017th 1997 Nick Price (2) 275 −13 1 stroke Ernie Els Davis Love III 2,500,000 1,000,00016th 1996 Colin Montgomerie 274 −14 Playoff Ernie Els 2,500,000 1,000,00015th 1995 Corey Pavin 276 −12 5 strokes Nick Price 2,500,000 1,000,00014th 1994 Nick Faldo 272 −16 3 strokes Nick Price 2,500,000 1,000,00013th 1993 Nick Price 264 −24 12 strokes Mark McNulty 2,500,000 1,000,00012th 1992 David Frost (3) 276 −12 4 strokes John Cook 2,500,000 1,000,00011th 1991 Bernhard Langer (2) 272 −16 5 strokes Mark Calcavecchia 2,500,000 1,000,00010th 1990 David Frost (2) 284 −4 1 stroke José María Olazábal 2,500,000 1,000,0009th 1989 David Frost 276 −12 3 strokes Scott Hoch 2,500,000 1,000,0008th 1988 Fulton Allem 278 −10 1 stroke Don Pooley 1,500,000 1,000,0007th 1987 Ian Woosnam 274 −14 4 strokes Nick Faldo 1,000,000 1,000,0006th 1986 Mark McNulty 282 −6 3 strokes Lanny Wadkins 1,000,000 300,0005th 1985 Bernhard Langer 278 −10 2 strokes Lanny Wadkins 1,000,000 300,0004th 1984 Seve Ballesteros (2) 279 −9 6 strokes Nick Faldo 1,000,000 300,0003rd 1983 Seve Ballesteros 274 −14 5 strokes Nick Faldo David Graham Fuzzy Zoeller 1,000,000 300,0002nd 1982 Raymond Floyd 280 −8 Playoff Craig Stadler 1,000,000 300,0001st 1981 Johnny Miller 277 −11 Playoff Seve Ballesteros 1,000,000 500,000

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References

External links

Coverage on the European Tour's official site Coverage on the Sunshine Tour's official site