Bubba Watson to Make Nedbank Golf Challenge Debut
The two-time Masters champion joins the 2026 field at Sun City from 3 to 6 December.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Golf
Bubba Watson will make his debut in the Nedbank Golf Challenge, held from 3 to 6 December 2026 at the revamped Gary Player Country Club in Sun City, South Africa. Watson is the fourth Major champion added to this year's field.
Why it matters
Watson's addition strengthens a field that already includes recent Major winners, adding to the tournament's international profile. The Nedbank Golf Challenge is South Africa's premier event on the professional golf calendar.
Watson won the Masters in 2012 and 2014 and is a former world number two. The stub does not provide his recent form or results ahead of the December event.
The players
Bubba Watson
Watson is a two-time Masters champion and former world number two from the United States.
Branden Grace
Grace is a nine-time DP World Tour winner and the last South African to win the Nedbank Golf Challenge, in 2017.
Wyndham Clark
Clark is the current US Open champion competing in this year's field.
The details
Watson was added as a Major champion invitee and will compete at Sun City, joining Wyndham Clark, the current US Open champion, and former US Open champions Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Rose. Branden Grace, a nine-time DP World Tour winner, returns as the last South African winner of the event, which he won in 2017.
Timeline
1981: Johnny Miller wins the inaugural Nedbank Golf Challenge.
2017: Branden Grace wins the Nedbank Golf Challenge.
2024: Aldrich Potgieter first receives an invitation to compete.
3 to 6 December 2026: The Nedbank Golf Challenge is held at Sun City.
Season Trajectory
The field's inclusion of multiple Major champions, from Miller's 1981 inaugural win onward, continues the tournament's pattern of drawing top international talent to South Africa. Watson's arrival adds another American Major winner to a lineup already shaped by US Open champions.
The addition of a Major champion changes the competitive picture for the Nedbank Golf Challenge, and fantasy and betting interest may shift accordingly. Fans planning to attend should note the 3 to 6 December dates at Sun City.
The takeaway
Watson's debut gives South African golf fans a chance to watch a two-time Masters champion compete on home soil this December. Plan ahead if you intend to attend the tournament at Sun City.
What happens next
The Nedbank Golf Challenge tees off at Sun City from 3 to 6 December 2026.
Further reading
Explore more golf coverage as the Nedbank Golf Challenge approaches.
