PGA Tour campaigner Kevin Na will make his debut in the 2014 Nedbank Golf Challenge at the Gary Player Country Club at Sun City from 4-7 December.
Na is the first American to confirm his place in this year’s field, and heads to Sun City currently ranked 26th in the world and amidst a solid season on the PGA Tour this year.
“It was really good news to hear that I qualified. I’ve heard lots of great things about the event,” said Na.
A five-time winner since turning professional in 2001, Na is currently enjoying his most successful year yet with earnings of over $3.1 million on the PGA Tour.
He finished runner-up in the recent CIMB Classic in Malaysia, as well as runner-up in both The Memorial Tournament and the Valspar Championship, tied fourth in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, tied eighth in the Sony Open, and tied ninth in The Barclays. And he also claimed a share of 12th place in the US Open.
Born in Seoul, South Korea, Na’s family immigrated to the United States when he was eight years old.
He turned professional at the age of 17, and his breakthrough came on the Asian Tour in 2002 where his victory in the Volvo Masters of Asia saw him become the third youngest winner in Asian Tour history at the age of 19 years and three months.
In 2003 he was, at the age of 21, the youngest member on the PGA Tour, and in 2011 he claimed his maiden victory on the PGA Tour when he won the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.
Na joins an already world-class field for this year’s Nedbank Golf Challenge, including half of the victorious European Ryder Cup team as well as two Major winners and three former world number ones.
“We are delighted to welcome Kevin to his first Nedbank Golf Challenge, and especially with him being in such great form at the moment,” said Alastair Roper, Sun International’s Tournament Director for the Nedbank Golf Challenge.
“We are approaching other international cut-offs for qualification and are looking forward to announcing some further big names in the near future.”
NEDBANK GOLF CHALLENGE CONFIRMED PLAYERS:
Thomas Bjørn (Denmark)
Martin Kaymer (Germany)
Lee Westwood (England)
Charl Schwartzel (South Africa)
Victor Dubuisson (France)
Jamie Donaldson (Wales)
Stephen Gallacher (Scotland)
Dawie van der Walt (South Africa)
Kiradech Aphibarnrat (Thailand)
Luke Donald (England)
Miguel Angel Jiminez (Spain)
Thongchai Jaidee (Thailand)
Ross Fisher (England)
Kevin Na (United States)
BY THE NUMBERS:
Related
Past Champions (3):
Thomas Bjørn – 2013
Martin Kaymer – 2012
Lee Westwood – 2010, 2011
Major Champions (2):
Martin Kaymer – 2010 PGA Championship, 2014 US Open
Charl Schwartzel – 2011 Masters
2014 European Ryder Cup players (6):
Thomas Bjørn
Martin Kaymer
Lee Westwood
Victor Dubuisson
Jamie Donaldson
Stephen Gallacher
Former World Number Ones (3):
Martin Kaymer
Luke Donald
Lee Westwood
Countries Represented (10):
Denmark, Germany, England, South Africa, France, Wales, Scotland, Thailand, Spain, United States
