The new 2024-25 DP World Tour season continues in South Africa with another high-profile event, the Alfred Dunhill Championship.
Immediately following the 66-man Nedbank Golf Challenge at Gary Player Country Club, there will be a full tournament in the country's northwest, featuring defending champion Louis Oosthuizen and his South African LIV peers Charl Schwartzel and Dean Burmester.
Each of them will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of Elvis Smylie, Ryggs Johnston and Johannes Veerman and become the latest winners of this term's DP World Tour.
Almost as famous as it is for its off-course spectacle and on-course action, the Alfred Dunhill Championship takes place just outside the Kruger National Park, making it a real treat for those with a keen interest in wildlife.
Read on to find out who the Golf Monthly news team thinks will grab the lion's share of this week's prize money, plus all the odds on the leading players in the field.
Louis Oosthuizen poses in front of the 2023 Alfred Dunhill Champions Trophy
(Image source: Getty Images)
Alfred Dunhill Championship: Lessons
Not to be confused with the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship of the same name, which is held late in the season at three iconic courses in Scotland, this week’s tournament is Leopard Creek Golf, one of South Africa’s finest courses Exclusively held. Club, early in the new semester.
Leopard Creek is a 7,112 yard par 72 course located on the banks of the aptly named Crocodile River, home to many of the sharp-toothed descendants of dinosaurs as well as hippos and other famous creatures.
On the course, where water and trees often guard narrow fairways and awkwardly shaped greens, the emphasis will be on accuracy and purity of shot.
Aside from the 18th, the signature hole is arguably the 13th, which features a raised green that gives players stunning views of the neighboring Kruger National Park.
View of the 18th green and clubhouse at Leopard Creek Golf Club
(Image source: Getty Images)
Alfred Dunhill Championship Past Champions
No matches were held in 2021 due to Covid-19, nor in 2017 due to stadium renovations.
| Year | champion | winning score |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Louis Oosthuizen | -18 (two-stroke) |
| 2022 | Oakie Strydom | -18 (two-stroke) |
| 2020 | Christian Beziidenhout | -14 (four-stroke) |
| 2019 | Pablo Larrazabal | -8 (one stroke) |
| 2018 | David Lipsky | -14 (two-stroke) |
| 2016 | Brandon Stone | -21 (six-stroke) |
| 2015 | Charles Schwartzel | -15 (four-stroke) |
| 2014 | Brandon Grace | -20 (seven-stroke) |
| 2013 | Charles Schwartzel | -17 (four-stroke) |
| 2012 | Charles Schwartzel | -24 (12 times) |
Alfred Dunhill Championship Betting Odds
The odds of outright victory are via FanDuel Sportsbook
- Louis Oosthuizen(+850)
- Christian Beziidenhout (+1000)
- Dean Burmeister (+1200)
- Triston Lawrence(+1600)
- Lauri Kanter (+2200)
- Charles Schwartzel (+2500)
- Marty Schmid (+2500)
- Tom McKibbin (+3300)
- Brandon Stone (+3300)
- Jorge Campillo (+3500)
- Roman Langeske (+3500)
- Alex Fitzpatrick (+4000)
- Jayden Schaper (+4000)
- Eric van Rooyen (+4000)
- Julian Guerrier (+4000)
- Sean Norris (+4500)
- Jost Rutten (+5000)
- Adrian Otagui (+5000)
- Oliver Lindell (+5500)
- Francisco Laporta (+5500)
- Wenyi Ding (+5500)
- Aldrich Potgett (+5500)
- Richard Mansell(+6000)
- Angel Ayora (+6000)
- Andy Sullivan(+6000)
- All other players have a price of +7000 or higher
Alfred Dunhill Tournament Betting Picks
(Image source: Getty Images)
Favorite: Charles Schwartzel (+2500)
The South African recently finished second at the Qatar International Series but missed the cut last week in Saudi Arabia at 2 under after 36 holes. I'll let him give up on that and back him to win the championship, which he has done four times and finished runner-up five times, including last year when his Stinger GC teammate Louis Oosthuizen beat him by two points.
Outsider: Jayden Schaper (+4000)
South Africa's Jayden Schaper has quietly been doing well in his past three events, finishing tied for 17th in Saudi Arabia last week and shooting 64-67 over the weekend to finish just outside first place 6 points.
Schaper was seventh here last year and second in 2020. He has yet to live up to his early potential, but certainly looks good enough to compete in this week's Leopard Creek race.
(Image source: Getty Images)
Favorite: Christiaan Bezuidenhout (+1000)
The South African comes into the event in good form after finishing tied for sixth at the Nedbank Golf Challenge last week, a feat Beziidenhout also achieved when he last returned to his homeland 12 months ago Excellent results.
In 2023, he finished ninth at the Joburg Open, tied for 17th at the South Australian Open and, more importantly, won the individual title at this week's Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek. Third place.
What's more, he's a former winner of the event in 2020 and his recent results appear to be consistent, so I fully expect him to race on Sunday.
Outsider: Robin Williams (+9000)
I went here with another South African and for his price I think Robin Williams offers great value in a very competitive field. First, he has won each of his last four starts at the Fortress Invitational, and his overall game seems to be a good fit for Leopard Creek.
Looking back at past performance, Williams tied for 20th in this event last year, and had it not been for a poor weekend, he likely would have continued his challenge after shooting a 7-under 65 in the first round. The 23-year-old is in great form and I think it's worth watching this week.
Jonny Layfield
(Image source: Getty Images)
Favorite: Lauri Kanter (+2200)
Kanter has been in unspectacular but solid form of late, posting a hat trick of top-25 finishes between the DP World Tour Playoffs and last week's Nedbank Golf Challenge. But what makes me like his chances this week is that he's A) extremely accurate from tee to green, and B) he finished third overall here last year.
In such a close field, the winning players will be those who gain marginal benefit over other players. If Kanter puts well this week and avoids any disasters around the greens, his superior accuracy should aid his challenge.
Outsider: Francisco Laporta (+5500)
Given the typical characteristics of his game and recent form, Laporta could well be described as representing good value. He has tied for sixth in three of his past six starts and hasn't missed a cut in any event since early September. His game is based on pinpoint accuracy, which will be crucial this week, and he has been a wizard (and key) around the greens in recent weeks.
However, his record at Leopard Creek was pretty poor – losing three of four cuts and finishing tied for 48th in the other. That's why his price is so high.
Still, I'm willing to overlook his flaws because he was a different player back then and I think his painful past can help him this year. Laporta, who finished in the top 10 at Nedbank and is in good form, might surprise some with another strong performance at Panther Creek.
How to watch the Alfred Denhill Championship
United States (East)
- Thursday, December 12 – Round 1: 5:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. (Golf Channel/NBC Sports App)
- Friday, December 13 – Round 2: 5:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. (Golf Channel/NBC Sports App)
- Saturday, December 14 – Round 3: 4:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. (Golf Channel/NBC Sports App)
- Sunday, December 15 – Round 4: 4:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. (Golf Channel/NBC Sports App)
United Kingdom (GMT)
- Thursday, December 12 – Round 1: 10:00am – 3:00pm (Sky Sports Golf)
- Friday, December 13 – Round 2: 10:00am – 3:00pm (Sky Sports Golf)
- Saturday, December 14 – Round 3: 9:30am – 2:30am (Sky Sports Golf)
- Sunday, December 15 – Round 4: 9:30am – 2:30am (Sky Sports Golf)
Golf Monthly Betting Picks: Best Results
| result | player | event | price | general manager staff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| win | Tyrell Hatton | Alfred Dunhill Links Championship | +1100 | Jonny Layfield |
| win | An Bingxian | Genesis Tournament | +850 | Jonny Layfield |
| win | Paul Welling | Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship | +12000 | Matt Craddock |
| win | Joaquin Nyman | saudi international | +700 | Jonny Layfield |
| win | Scotty Scheffler | Hero World Challenge | +225 | Barry Plummer |
| second place | Tyrell Hatton | Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship | +650 | Matt Craddock |
| second place | Cameron Smith | Australian PGA Championship | +900 | Jonny Layfield and Matt Craddock |
| T2nd | Thorbjorn Olsen | French Open | +2200 | Barry Plummer |
| T2nd | Yannick Paul | French Open | +4000 | Barry Plummer |
| Section 3 | Marty Schmid | Shriners Children's Open | +5000 | Matt Craddock and Elliot Heath |
