ERNIE Els and Webb Simpson are the first two Major champions to confirm their places in the 2015 Nedbank Golf Challenge, to be played at the Gary Player Country Club, at Sun City, from December 3 to 6.
The winners of five Majors between them, join defending champion Danny Willett of England, Sweden’s Henrik Stenson and South Africa’s Thomas Aiken as the first five players confirmed for “Africa’s Major”. Both Els and Simpson qualified for this year’s event through the new eligibility criteria which allows for four tournament invitations.
Els is the most successful golfer in the history of the Nedbank Golf Challenge and will be making a record 19th appearance in the tournament.
Since his debut in the 1992 Nedbank Golf Challenge, when he finished third, Els has become an icon of the Nedbank Golf Challenge with his victories in 1999, 2000 and 2002. He has also earned the most prize money of any golfer in the history of the tournament.
This year Els will be aiming to become the first four-time winner in the history of the Nedbank Golf Challenge. His three victories currently equal those of Nick Price and David Frost.
Simpson will make his debut at Sun City. The winner of the 2012 US Open and a further three PGA Tour titles, finished 48th on the final FedEx Cup standings this year, and following a season of six top 10s on the PGA Tour, including tied second in the Wells Fargo Championship.
The American had a breakthrough season on the PGA Tour in 2011 when he won twice. He claimed his first Major in the US Open the following year, and his most recent PGA Tour title was a convincing six-stroke victory in the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in 2013. He has played on two Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup teams and will be looking to become the first American winner of the Nedbank Golf Challenge since Jim Furyk won back-to-back titles in 2005 and 2006.
