Nedbank Golf Challenge: Shane Lowry looks primed to start new season with a win

Less than a fortnight after Rory McIlroy was crowned Race to Dubai champion for the second time, the new European Tour season kicks off this week at the Nedbank Golf Challenge.

Formerly known as the Sun City Million Dollar Challenge, the event was for many years an end-of-season exhibition which gave an elite 12-player field the chance to boost their coffers ahead of Christmas.

But the field was extended to 30 players last year and included in the Race to Dubai for the first time, and it was Thomas Bjorn who got his campaign off to the perfect start as he shot 66-65 over the weekend to earn a two-shot win over Sergio Garcia and Jamie Donaldson.

The veteran Dane is back to defend his title at the Gary Player Country Club this week, while the field did include five of his victorious Ryder Cup team-mates until Victor Dubuisson pulled out due to a niggling back problem.

Donaldson, Martin Kaymer, Stephen Gallacher and Lee Westwood all add significant strength to the event, while home hopes will be carried by major champions Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen.

World No 13 Kaymer is the top-ranked player on show, but the German looked out of sorts throughout last month’s Final Series and appeared to be looking forward to his festive break.

Sky Bet have installed former Open champion Oosthuizen as their 9/1 favourite on home turf following his strong finish to the DP World Tour Championship, where a closing 66 earned him tie for sixth.

But the man to watch in Sun City could be Shane Lowry, who pushed McIlroy all the way at Wentworth back in May before proving a model of consistency over the second half of the season.

The popular Irishman cashed in 13 straight tournaments, posting five top-10 finishes including a solo fifth place in Dubai after opening and closing with excellent 66s.

Lowry has been knocking on the door for some time, and it is surely a matter of when, not if, he collects his first European Tour title since the 2012 Portugal Masters.

He is competitively priced at 16/1 along with fast-rising American star Brooks Koepka, who captured his maiden title in Turkey before looking a little over-awed and fatigued in Dubai.

And bearing in mind that the course is traditionally set up to encourage plenty of birdies, the attacking nature of Jonas Blixt could reap handsome rewards for forward-thinking punters who take the Swede at 40/1.