Round 1 Power Pair

Golf fans are in for a treat as Branden Grace, the defending champion in the Nedbank Golf Challenge, and Rory McIlroy will tee off in the same three-ball in Thursday’s first round of “Africa’s Major”.

The draw for the 2018 tournament has been announced and features a number of top groupings for fans to choose from.

Grace and McIlroy will have the in-form Haotong Li in their group, which tees off the first at the Gary Player Country Club at 10:51 South African time.

Martin Kaymer and Danny Willett, both former winners of the Nedbank Golf Challenge, will lead the action off the first tee alongside Sam Horsfield at 8:50.

South Africa’s Erik van Rooyen, making his debut in the Nedbank Golf Challenge, has the company of three-time Major champion Padraig Harrington in his three-ball at 9:34, and off the first tee.

And there is a Masters theme to the 10:07 group off the first, with Charl Schwartzel and Sergio Garcia in the same three-ball.