The Road to Mallorca travels to George this week for the fourth and final event of the South African Swing in 2025, with the NTT DATA Pro Am taking place at the picturesque Fancourt Golf Estate. Here’s everything you need to know before the action gets under way…
Magical Fancourt
Fancourt Golf Estate, set at the foot of the majestic Outeniqua Mountains, is one of the best golf resorts in the world which provides an unforgettable experience for guests. Visitors can choose to stay in one of the 115 luxurious rooms at the Fancourt Hotel and take advantage of many leisure activities, including The Spa with an indoor heated Roman Bath and world class wellness treatments. The NTT DATA Pro Am will be played over Fancourt’s three courses – Montagu, Outeniqua and The Links – all three of which were designed by nine-time Major champion Gary Player and are ranked in the top 20 best golf courses in South Africa.
The Links
The Links, opened in 2000, is currently ranked as the country’s Number Two course by Golf Digest South Africa and is the iconic golfing hallmark of the Fancourt Estate. The course, located on a former airstrip, quickly gained world recognition after hosting the Presidents Cup in 2003. The United States and International team tied the competition 17–17, and after three tied play-off holes between Tiger Woods and Ernie Els, it was decided by the captains and players that the Cup would be shared. The Links has also played host to the 2005 SA Open and the DP World Tour’s Volvo Golf Champions in 2012, which saw South African Branden Grace defeat countrymen Ernie Els and Retief Goosen in a play-off.
Unique Format
The Men’s NTT DATA Pro Am consists of two competitions within the event; the stroke play for professionals only and the betterball medal for professionals partnering with amateurs. Amateurs are teamed with a professional partner and together they compete for the NTT DATA Pro Am trophy and an additional professional prize fund. They compete using the betterball medal scoring system whereby the amateur handicaps are taken into account and the lowest stroke, by either the professional or the amateur, is recorded for each hole. The NTT DATA Ladies' Pro-Am will also be taking place across the Montagu and the Outeniqua golf courses.
Past champions
Last year Frenchman David Ravetto clinched his maiden HotelPlanner Tour title with a two-stroke victory at the NTT Data Pro-Am. The Frenchman went on to seal a first DP World Tour victory at the D+D REAL Czech Masters and finish in the top 50 of the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex. In 2023 South African Oliver Bekker became the third person to win the NTT Data Pro-Am on two occasions, following in the footsteps of countryman Darren Fichardt and Zimbabwe’s Nick Price. Bekker won the NTT Data Pro-Am in 2012 before it was co-sanctioned between the HotelPlanner Tour and Sunshine Tour, and he was able to seal his second triumph at the spectacular Fancourt Golf Estate in-front of home crowds. The prestigious event has an illustrious list of winners, including Major champions Paul Lawrie, Louis Oosthuizen, Trevor Immelman, Retief Goosen and Darren Clarke.
