SDC Championship tips, date, course guide, prize money, records and how to watch

The DP World Tour has moved from Kenya to South Africa for the SDC Championship - a competitive affair in which two British players could play a leading role.

SDC Championship tips

Tom McKibbin To Win @ 18/1
Ewen Ferguson To Win @ 14/1
Jayden Schaper To Win @ 35/1

Tom McKibbin and Ewen Ferguson have been popular selections for the SDC Championship, which makes sense given how well they both played on the course in last year's tournament.

McKibbin was in poor form heading into the inaugural SDC Championship 12 months ago and he opened with a 76, looking likely to miss the cut, but he followed up with rounds of 65, 72 and 69 and finished in 18th place.

Ferguson was also struggling on the DP World Tour last year before getting a boost at the SDC Championship, where he carded rounds of 72, 70, 68 and 68 to finish in third spot.

Both McKibbin and Ferguson have shown a real liking for competing in Africa generally during their professional careers - and both are approaching this assignment in solid form.

McKibbin has DP World Tour form figures of 25-14-16-4 this year - the 21-year-old has been swinging superbly - while Ferguson has finished ninth in the Qatar Masters and seventh in the Kenya Open in his last two tournaments. They are both DP World Tour champions - McKibbin won his maiden title last summer.

Ferguson is looking to complete a DP World Tour hat-trick this week, having won the Qatar Masters and the ISPS Handa World Invitational in 2022. The 27-year-old Glaswegian is based in Dubai, making it easier to get to events in Asia and Africa.

The forecast for strong winds this week just adds to their hopes of success, as both are consistent ball-strikers who can be relied upon from tee to green. 

Thursday's forecast is particularly daunting and tee-times could be important. Ferguson is out early, which could be a break, while McKibbin looks set to face the teeth of the wind in the afternoon, unless play is suspended due to oscillating balls.

The pick of the local hopes at the St. Francis Links this week may be Jayden Schaper, who has form figures of 5-6-10 in the three Sunshine Tour events he has played at this course. Schaper's home course is a links track and he should be ultra-comfortable in the conditions.

Just before Christmas, Schaper finished ninth in the Joburg Open, fifth in the South African Open, seventh in the Alfred Dunhill Championship and sixth in the Mauritius Open. A return to his homeland may result in a maiden DP World Tour title.

St. Francis Links course guide

St. Francis Links, Eastern Cape, South Africa, is a 7,192-yard, par 72, featuring four par-fives, 10 par-fours and four par-threes. Matthew Baldwin set a new 72-hole course record when he won the inaugural SDC Championship with a 270 total. 

The Jack Nicklaus design staged the Vodacom Origins of Golf on the Sunshine Tour in 2007, 2008 and from 2013 through 2018, as well as 2022, plus the SA PGA Championship in 2021, 2022 and 2023. 

The inaugural SDC Championship was last year. Baldwin handled the winds better than anyone, cruising to a seven-shot triumph for a maiden DP World Tour title. Sunny, warm and windy weather is expected this week, particularly on Thursday and Saturday. Precision and an ability to handle a breeze seems essential.

TV channel and how to watch the SDC Championship

There is no live coverage of the SDC Championship, but live scoring will be available via the bet365 app and website.

SDC Championship date and venue

The SDC Championship will take place from Thursday 29th February to Sunday 3rd March, 2024; at St. Francis Links, Eastern Cape, South Africa.

SDC Championship prize money

The SDC Championship prize fund is $1.5m, with $250,050 going to the winner.

SDC Championship record score and course record

Matthew Baldwin posted an incredible 18-under-par total of 270 last year, setting a new 72-hole course record, despite battling strong winds throughout. Steve Surry (2021 SA PGA Championship), Ruan Korb (2022 Vodacom Origins of Golf) and Jens Dantorp (2023 SDC Championship) are the 18-hole course record holders - all having carded a 63.

Who has the most SDC Championship wins?

Matthew Baldwin won the inaugural SDC Championship last year. There are six St. Francis Links course winners in this week's field - Jaco van Zyl, JJ Senekal, Keith Horne, Ruan Korb, Matthew Baldwin and Rupert Kaminski.

This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.