Viktor Hovland to make debut in golf legend's tournament after Ryder Cup

Viktor Hovland is set to play a professional golf tournament in South Africa for the first time after competing in the 2025 Ryder Cup matches. 

The 27-year-old Norwegian has confirmed he will tee it up in the Nedbank Golf Challenge over 4-7 December. 

The tournament forms part of the DP World Tour's 'opening swing' for the 2026 campaign, which kicks off in Australia. 

The DP World Tour released their full schedule last week during the BMW PGA Championship. 

Hovland's commitment will no doubt thrill golf legend Gary Player. The nine-time major winner has been hosting the tournament since 2016. 

Hovland said: "I'm excited to tee it up at the Nedbank Golf Challenge for the first time this December. 

"I've had a lot of cool experiences at DP World Tour events around the world, and I'm looking forward to adding this one to the list.

"It's an event that has a lot of history, a great list of winners and, of course, in honour of Gary Player, so I'm sure it will be a great week.

Hovland will make his third consecutive Ryder Cup appearance at Bethpage Black next week.

Team Europe are looking to defend the trophy they won two years ago at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Italy. 

Hovland made history during that week in Rome as he and fellow Scandinavian Ludvig Aberg recorded a 9&7 victory over the top-ranked Scottie Scheffler and five-time major winner Brooks Koepka.

The World No. 11 and 2023 FedExCup champion was the first player from Norway to win on both the DP World Tour and PGA Tour and claimed his 11th worldwide title with his victory at the Valspar Championship in Florida in March.

Brooks Koepka handed fourth DP World Tour invite

Elsewhere, Brooks Koepka will continue to try and turn his season around on the DP World Tour. 

Koepka has been abject this season by his standards, missing three out of four cuts in the major championships. 

The American golfer, 35, has been playing on the DP World Tour since LIV Golf's third full season concluded in August.

Koepka has participated in the Amgen Irish Open and featured in last week's BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. 

He has also received an exemption into this week's Open de France at Golf de Saint-Nom-La-Bretèche in Paris. 

Koepka - who admitted he simply wasn't good enough to be selected for the US Ryder Cup team - will also play the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship later this year.