It's the penultimate event of the season and 72 players are set to tee it up in Sun City for the 2016 Nedbank Golf Challenge hosted by Gary Player.
'The Black Knight' designed the course himself and it presents a stern test, with an emphasis on ball-striking. With that in mind, here's who our stats guru thinks you should add to yourDaily Fantasy Team
Pick of the favourites: Henrik Stenson
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Henrik Stenson arrives in South Africa well rested, having played just two events in the last two months and is rightfully the man to beat this week. He finished runner-up to Hideki Matsuyama in his last outing in China and will relish a return to Sun City having finished fourth and second in his two appearances in this event. Gary Player says the key to scoring at this week’s course, which he designed, is driving straight. Stenson leads the Tour in both Driving Accuracy and Stroke Average and it appears the venue is made for the Swede’s ball-striking prowess. He has finished in the top 15 in each of his last six European Tour starts, including two wins and two runner-up finishes, and knows that a win this week could secure his second Race to Dubai title. Expect to see 'The Iceman' high on the leaderboard at the end of the week.
Form horse: Thongchai Jaidee
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Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee continues to roll back the years with impressive form on the European Tour. He will turn 47 this week in South Africa and could well celebrate by getting into contention in Sun City. The eight-time winner has finished in the top ten in all three of his appearances in the Nedbank Golf Challenge, shooting over par just once in 12 career rounds at the Gary Player Country Club. In Turkey last week, rounds of 67 and 66 saw him tied second heading into the weekend before rounds of 70 and 73 saw him fall back. With European Tour wins in seven different countries already in his career, Jaidee certainly has the all-round game to challenge and possibly add an eighth country to that list this week.
Wildcard: David Horsey
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It might seem strange to pick someone who has never played the course before but David Horsey merits a selection this week. Runner-up last week in Turkey, the Englishman played his best golf on Sunday when the pressure was on, carding a front nine 29 to cut a seven shot deficit to just two at one point. Amazingly, the 31 year old has shot 27 rounds of par or better since missing the cut in Denmark in August, a run that includes nine straight sub 70 scores. Horsey has improved from 159th on Tour in Putts per Round last season, to 12th this year, an advantage that has seen him finish in the top 15 in five of his last seven starts. Safely in the field for the DP World Tour Championship and with no course experience, Horsey has nothing to lose this week and could surprise many come Sunday afternoon.
Those are our picks, now it’s time to make yours. Whether you are playing theFantasy Race to Dubaior our newDaily Fantasy Game, be sure to make your picks before Wednesday night. Good luck!
