Investec South African Open Championship: Fantasy DP World Tour ones to watch

The Investec South African Open Championship marks the first of a double-header of DP World Tour events in South Africa and here is all that players of our official fantasy game need to know.

After five events across four countries, the International Swing closes out its seven-event run with the first of back-to-back events in South Africa.

First played in 1903, becoming part of the DP World Tour schedule in 1997, a host of renowned figures in the game like Ernie Els, Retief Goosen and Vijay Singh have lifted the trophy.

The $1.5-million tournament – co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour and Sunshine Tour – is this week being played at the revamped Durban Country Club, which last hosted a DP World Tour event in 2014.

While Laurie Canter may lead the way in the International Swing Rankings, it is still all to play for over the final two events with 500 points available to the winner both this week and at next week’s Joburg Open.

From insight into the week’s most-picked players among Fantasy managers, to our ones to watch, we run the rule ahead of Thursday’s deadline to pick your team.

Who are the most backed players?

Shaun Norris, a winner already this season on home soil at the Alfred Dunhill Championship, is the most-picked player in the early stages of selection with 68% of players putting him in their team.

Canter, who won earlier on the International Swing in Bahrain, sits second on 54%, with defending champion Dean Burmester next on 43%.

There is then little to choose between those just behind, with England’s John Parry and South Africa’s Jayden Schaper both on 42% as the in-form duo round out the top five.

Who are our ones to watch?

Here, we pick out three players in action this week who are worth considering for your Fantasy team selections.

Favourite - Dean Burmester

Making his title defence this week, the 35-year-old is the favourite in the betting markets ahead of England’s Canter and third for popularity with our Fantasy players. With three of his four DP World Tour titles coming in home conditions, he will be aiming to challenge for more silverware. With his three-shot success in his national open at Blair Atholl in 2023, he added his name to an illustrious list of past home champions that include Bobby Locke, Gary Player and Els. This year, he will look to become the first player since countryman Trevor Immelman to win this coveted title back-to-back in 2004. He made the cut in his three Major Championship appearances last season, finishing a best of tied 12th at the US PGA Championship.

Form Horse - Jayden Schaper

The South African arrives in Durban on the back of successive top five finishes in Qatar and Kenya, closing out last week with a flawless 66 at Muthaiga Golf Club. A two-time Sunshine Tour Rookie of the Year in 2021 and 2022, the 23-year-old is competing in his third season on the DP World Tour and his form on home soil is very good. He was runner-up at the Alfred Dunhill Championship in his rookie year as a professional in 2020, and has three top tens in this tournament alone. He finished in the top ten in all four DP World Tour and Sunshine Tour co-sanctioned event last season as he qualified for the first of the two DP World Tour Play-Offs in the United Arab Emirates. Now, up to speed with new clubs in his bag, his first professional win is surely only a matter of time.

Wild Card - Joost Luiten

It may seem odd to highlight a six-time DP World Tour winner as a wild card but stay with us. While Durban Country Club may have undergone a revamp since we were last there on the DP World Tour in 2014, there is only a small proportion of this week’s field with competitive experience at the host venue. Luiten is one of them having finished tied third at the Volvo Golf Champions 11 years ago. A winner in Europe and Asia, victory in the continent of Africa has so far eluded him but that could all change this week as the 39-year-old edges towards a milestone 400th start on golf’s global tour. After making his first four cuts of the season, including one in South Africa at the end of last year, he is sure to be determined to bounce back from missing the weekend’s action in Kenya last time out.

How can I play?

If you have not done so already, you can still sign up to play the official 2025 DP World Tour Fantasy game and submit your six-man team before round one gets under way on Thursday.

To play Fantasy DP World Tour, click here.

What can I win?

There are plenty of prizes on offer throughout the 2025 season including the Ultimate Prize courtesy of DP World which includes:

- Flights to Dubai for two people

- Accommodation in Dubai for two people

- Private lesson from a top DP World Tour professional on the Earth course driving range

- Two ball on the Earth course the day after tournament play finishes

- Two General Admission Season Tickets for the 2025 DP World Tour Championship

Those that finish second to fifth in the season long competition will also receive a range of DP World Tour Store vouchers. There will also be prizes to be won on a weekly and monthly basis so no matter how well you start or when you sign up to play, you will always have the opportunity to win.

Looking back - Magical Kenya Open presented by absa

He may have been an outsider among Fantasy users, featuring in just 2% of teams, but Jacques Kruyswijk rewarded the 602 players who opted for him with 227 points. Of those, 20 picked him as their Captain.

It was a solid, if not spectacular, week for all three of our picks last week. Jorge Campillo, our Favourite, closed with a seven under 64 to finish tied 28th in Kenya, with Form Horse Martin Couvra further back in a tie for 53rd. Our Wild Card Jamie Rutherford was our best performer as he finished tied fifth.

Season so far - 2025 DP World Tour Fantasy Top 10 player rankings