The decision by current European Tour No. 1 Bernd Wiesberger to commit to next month’s Nedbank Challenge is clear the Austrian is very serious in wishing to capture the 2019 Race to Dubai title.

Wiesberger, who had to miss last year’s Gary Player-hosted event through injury, will tee-up at Sun City in the absence of Jon Rahm and Ireland’s-own Shane Lowry, and presently ranked a respective two and three on the Race to Dubai.

Before heading to South Africa Wiesberger and Lowry, and not Rahm, will be competing in next week’s WGC – HSBC Champions event in Shanghai and with the pair to then travel to Turkey for the November 7th commencing Turkish Airlines Open.

The Tour has yet to confirm the full Turkey entry list though Lowry indicated to media at the recent Alfred Dunhill Links he will tee-up at the Montgomerie Maxx course in Belek.

So, it will mean Wiesberger then heading to South Africa and without the presence of either Rahm or Lowry in the field to extend any advantage he may have or, and on the flipside of the coin, make-up any group he may have lost in Shanghai.

Austrian Bernd Wiesberger makes the decision to tee-up in next month’s Nedbank Challenge, and a decision that could make it tougher for his Race to Dubai rivals (Photo – European Tour/Getty)

That aside, Wiesberger is only player to have won three times this European Tour season and he superbly showed that victory form when he supebly muscled his way to the top of the rankings in capturing the recent Italian Open, adding the victory in Rome to his Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open triumph in July. His first of three titles this season came at Made in Denmark in May, kick-starting a run of three wins in just 13 starts.

The 34-year-old, who has won seven times on the European Tour, is bidding to become the first Austrian to top the season-long Rankings.

“After a fantastic summer, I’m looking to end the season strongly and maintain my position at the top of the Race to Dubai,” said Wiesberger. “There is still so much to play for in the final few weeks of the season, especially with the increase in points on offer, but I couldn’t ask to be in a better position than I am at the moment.

“It was disappointing to miss last year’s Nedbank Golf Challenge due to injury, so I’m looking forward to returning to Sun City next month.”nce its status as one of world golf’s elite tournaments this season with an increase in both the first place prize money and Race to Dubai points – the winner of the 2019 Nedbank Golf Challenge will take home US$2.5 million, an increase on the US$1.25 million won by Westwood last year.

The overall prize fund remains at US$7.5 million, with the balance of the 63-player field from second place onwards playing for a US$5 million prize fund but, and now in Wiesberger’s favour is that this year’s Nedbank Challenge offers an increased haul of  Race to Dubai points from 7,500 to 10,000, which places it above what the World Golf Championships tournaments offer.