Alfred Dunhill Championship 2024 Preview, Picks & Analysis

Louis Oosthuizen will seek to become only the third player in the history of the Alfred Dunhill Championship to successfully defend his title when he returns to Leopard Creek.

Oosthuizen joins a strong South African challenge that also includes Thriston Lawrence, currently South Africa’s highest-ranked golfer on the Official World Golf Ranking, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, winner of the 2020 Alfred Dunhill Championship, as well as Erik van Rooyen and Dean Burmester will also be in the field.

Oosthuizen won last year’s Alfred Dunhill Championship by two strokes following a thrilling final round duel with Charl Schwartzel. And he returns this week looking to join Schwartzel and Spain’s Pablo Martin as the only men to successfully defend their titles. Schwartzel achieved this feat in 2012 and 2013, while Martin did the same in 2009 and 2010.

He said: "I’m looking forward to returning to Leopard Creek for the Alfred Dunhill Championship, which is one of the most special weeks in golf. I have always loved the golf course, and after twice finishing runner-up in the tournament I was delighted to win last year.

"The Alfred Dunhill Championship is one of those tournaments I always wanted to win, and to finally do so was very special. It’s a tournament I never want to miss, especially at this point in my career, because it combines my love for Leopard Creek and my love for the bush and the spectacular wildlife we are privileged to enjoy that week."

Lawrence will be back in South Africa having achieved his best finish in a major of fourth place at The Open this year. He finished third in the Race to Dubai and has secured a PGA Tour card for 2025.

Bezuidenhout and van Rooyen head to Leopard Creek having represented South Africa at the Olympic Games in Paris this year, while Bezuidenhout was also a member of the International Team in the Presidents Cup.

South African golfers’ love for this tournament and have dominated the last three editions of the Alfred Dunhill Championship, with Oosthuizen, Ockie Strydom (2022) and Bezuidenhout (2020) claiming glory.

Schwartzel still holds the record for the most Alfred Dunhill Championship titles with his four victories, as well as the tournament record of 24-under-par 264 and the largest margin of victory of 12 strokes which he achieved in 2012.

With Christmas looming it would have been no great surprise had most European challengers opted to put their feet up for a few weeks. Not a bit of it. There are Ryder Cup points up for grabs.

Laurie Canter, David Ravetto and Tom McKibbin are all in the field - and all will have hopes of making Luke Donald’s team.

(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)

There were a host of first-time winners on the DP World Tour in 2024. One of those was Ravetto, and I believe he could turn out to be the best of the lot.

Ravetto was born in Boulogne, France, on June 14, 1997, and attended university in Texas, where he enjoyed considerable success. During the 2015-16 season he won the Individiual NAIA National Championship, was NAIA Arnold Palmer National Individual Champion, was named the Phil Mickleson Outstanding Freshman and set a school record with a season scoring average of 71.70. His score of 281 at the NAIA National Championship was the programme's sixth lowest score through 72 holes all-time.

He was also fourth at the SAC Championship, second at the San Antonio Shootout and the NAIA Contender, In seven university events he finished outside the top-5 only once. He was a member of the French Boys Team, won the Spain Andrews Open and was runner-up in the French amateur. 

He turned pro in 2020 after an amateur career which included a win at the 2020 Brabazon trophy. 

He finished 40th on the Road to Mallorca rankings in 2022, losing in a playoff to compatriot Pierre Pineau at the Open de Portugal at Royal Obidos.

His victory at the Czech Masters was much-needed after missing 11 cuts but he looked like a different golfer thereafter.

The same is true of Canter, who won the European Open in June. It was a reward for patience and perseverance.

He won the South African Amateur Championship in 2010 -  a trip he saved up for by working at the nine-hole course across the road from his home. The same year he was also a member of the England team that won the European Amateur Team Championship. He qualified for the 2010 Open but missed the cut. Canter won the 2011 Spanish Amateur Open Championship and then turned pro.

He played on the Challenge Tour from 2011 to 2013 before dropping down to the EuroPro Tour in 2014 and 2015.  

He has come through the DP World Tour’s Q-school four times but failed to keep his card every time. After a season on the Challenge Tour he finished tied fifth at Q-school in 2019 and in 2020 he enjoyed his first top-10 finish in the Hero Open and followed this with a tie for 5th place in the Wales Open and runner-up finishes at the Portugal Masters and Italian Open. 

In 2021 he finished tied second behind Billy Horschel at the BMW PGA Championship. 

In 2022, Canter joined LIV Golf and was suspended by the DP World Tour. But he struggled on the breakaway tour and earlier this year opted to bite the bullet, pay his DP World Tour fines, serve a suspension and rejoin the tour. It all finally paid off for him when he won the European Open in June.

Tournament Winners:

It was won in 2015 by Branden Grace, in 2016 by Charl Schwartzel, in 2017 by Brandon Stone, in 2018 by  David Lipsky, in 2019 by Pablo Larrazabal, in 2020 by Christiaan Bezuidenhout, in 2022 by Okie Strydom and last year by Louis Oosthuizen. There was no tournament in 2021.

The Course:

Leopard Creek is a par 72 measuring 7,249 yards. It borders a national park which is home to a host of wildlife, including crocodiles, hippos, antelope, buffalo and elephant. There are plenty of water hazards and tree-lined fairways, so accuracy from the tee is essential. Charl Schwartzel is a four-time winner and lists Leopard Creek as his favourite golf course.

Form Guide:

Despite the strong European presence at Leopard Creek, recent history dictates that we will see a home winner, with Thriston Lawrence aiming to cap a fine year by claiming this title. He is a superb ball striker who possesses a wondrous short game.

Prize Money:

The total prize fund is 1.5m euros, with 3,000 Race to Dubai points and 1,000 Ryder Cup points up for grabs.

How to Watch:

Thursday, December 12, Friday, December 13, Sky Sports Golf, 10am, Saturday, December 14, Sunday, December 15, Sky Sports Golf 9.30am.

To Win:

Thriston Lawrence. On top of the world

Each Way:

Christiaan Bezuidenhout. Class act

Each Way:

Laurie Canter. Finally showing what he can do

Five to Follow:

Thriston Lawrence. Best home hope

Christiaan Bezuidenhout. Fabulous putter

Laurie Canter. Would love another win

Erik van Rooyen. Glorious golf swing

Wilco Nienaber. Can he learn to harness all that power?