The DP World Tour’s Opening Swing continues in South Africa this week as Leopard Creek plays host to the Alfred Dunhill Championship. Here are your five things to know.
History of the event
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.
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 Adrich 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.
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.
