“South African golf is looking ahead to the 10th edition of the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, with three former champions returning for the tournament and Branden Grace targeting a rare achievement across the Sunshine Tour and DP World Tour’s co-sanctioned events. The tournament is scheduled for 10–13 December 2026 at Mont Choisy Le Golf in Mauritius, making it an important upcoming event for South African golf and its international profile.”
Trio of Former Champions Return as South Africa’s Golf Stars Prepare for Historic Mauritius Open
The 10th edition of the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open is shaping up to be a major highlight on the international golf calendar, with defending champion Jayden Schaper, former winners John Parry and Antoine Rozner, and a strong contingent of South African professionals preparing for the tournament in December. The announcement, published by the Sunshine Tour on 28 October 2026, places the milestone event firmly in the spotlight as players look to make history at Mont Choisy Le Golf in Mauritius.
A landmark tournament for professional golf
The AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open will return from 10 to 13 December 2026 for its 10th edition, bringing together players from the Sunshine Tour and the DP World Tour. The tournament has become an important part of the professional golf calendar, connecting South African talent with international competitors while providing opportunities for players to strengthen their reputations on a global stage.
The anniversary edition carries particular significance because three previous champions are returning with the opportunity to become the tournament’s first multiple winner. South Africa’s Schaper will defend the title he claimed in 2025, while England’s Parry and France’s Rozner return as former champions who understand what it takes to succeed in Mauritius.
The gathering of experienced winners adds an extra competitive dimension. Rather than simply competing for another trophy, the returning champions will be attempting to establish a lasting place in the history of a tournament that has developed a distinctive identity within international golf.
For South African supporters, the event also offers an opportunity to follow homegrown players competing against established professionals from Europe and other golfing nations.
Jayden Schaper prepares for his first professional title defence
Schaper arrives in Mauritius as defending champion after a dramatic victory at La Réserve Golf Links in 2025. His win came against American Ryan Gerard in a playoff, with Schaper producing a decisive chip-in to secure the title.
That performance helped raise his international profile and gave him a memorable breakthrough moment. Returning to Mauritius will therefore be more than another tournament appearance: it will be an opportunity to revisit the venue and circumstances surrounding a defining achievement in his career.
According to the DP World Tour’s report, the 2026 event will mark the first time Schaper has defended a title as a professional. He has expressed enthusiasm about returning to a destination where he enjoyed a major success and where he will again have his family supporting him.
A title defence can present a different psychological challenge from winning a tournament for the first time. The defending champion must manage expectations while resisting the temptation to measure every round against the previous year’s performance.
Schaper will also face opponents who have studied his success and who will be determined to prevent him from repeating it. His experience of winning the 2025 playoff, however, gives him valuable knowledge of how to manage pressure when a tournament reaches its decisive moments.
Former champions bring additional competition
Parry and Rozner will add further quality to an already competitive field.
Both players have previously won the Mauritius Open at Mont Choisy Le Golf, with Parry taking the title in 2024 and Rozner winning in 2022. Their return creates an unusual opportunity for three former champions to compete in the same edition while pursuing the same historical milestone.
The possibility of a first multiple winner gives the tournament a clear storyline even before the opening round begins. Each champion will know that a second victory would distinguish his record from those of the event’s previous winners.
Nevertheless, past success does not guarantee another strong performance. Golf tournaments depend on a combination of technical precision, course management, physical preparation and the ability to respond to changing conditions over four rounds.
The returning champions will need to balance familiarity with the course against the demands of a new tournament week. They will also have to contend with emerging professionals who see the event as an opportunity to establish themselves.
For spectators, this combination of experienced champions and ambitious challengers promises a competition in which established reputations will be tested rather than simply celebrated.
South African stars strengthen the field
South Africa will be represented by a strong group of professionals, including Branden Grace, Dean Burmester, Thriston Lawrence and Casey Jarvis, alongside defending champion Schaper.
Their participation reinforces the tournament’s importance to the country’s golfing community. South African professionals have a long history of competing successfully on international tours, and events that bring together local and overseas players help maintain those connections.
Jarvis represents the younger generation of South African professionals seeking to build on recent successes, while Grace and Burmester bring extensive experience of competing at the highest levels of the game.
Lawrence also adds depth to the South African challenge. The presence of multiple players with international victories means the country’s prospects do not depend on one individual alone.
A strong showing in Mauritius could provide valuable momentum heading into the next phase of the professional season. Players can use performances at co-sanctioned events to demonstrate their consistency, gain competitive confidence and strengthen their standing among their peers.
However, the depth of the field means South African supporters should expect a genuine contest. International professionals will arrive with their own ambitions, and the tournament’s appeal depends on the quality of the competition rather than any guaranteed outcome for the home nation’s representatives.
Branden Grace targets a rare career achievement
Grace is among the most compelling South African storylines heading into the event. In a separate announcement published on 26 October, the Sunshine Tour reported that he intends to complete a rare achievement by winning all four current tournaments co-sanctioned by the Sunshine Tour and DP World Tour.
Grace has already won the three events in that group staged in South Africa. Victory at the Mauritius Open would complete the set, making his appearance particularly significant.
The 38-year-old has competed across several major professional circuits, including the Asian Tour, DP World Tour, PGA Tour and LIV Golf. That experience gives him a broad competitive background as he prepares for the challenge in Mauritius.
Grace has also identified further personal goals. He currently has nine DP World Tour victories and is seeking a tenth, while continuing to aspire to a major championship title.
His career has included both achievements and difficult periods, including the loss of his father during the COVID-19 pandemic and a serious injury two seasons ago. His determination to continue competing at a high level demonstrates the resilience required to sustain a long professional career.
A victory in Mauritius would therefore carry significance beyond the tournament trophy. It would complete his proposed sweep of the four co-sanctioned events and take him to double-digit DP World Tour victories.
That combination makes Grace one of the players to watch when the tournament begins, although the result will depend on his performance over the four championship rounds.
Mont Choisy Le Golf presents the next challenge
The tournament will be hosted at Mont Choisy Le Golf on the north-west coast of Mauritius, near Grand Baie. The course is an 18-hole championship layout designed by Peter Matkovich and set within a historic sugar-cane estate.
According to the tournament’s official website, the course measures 6,842 metres and plays as a par 72. Its coastal setting gives the championship a distinctive identity, while its championship layout provides the stage for a demanding four-round competition.
Players will need to combine accurate driving with disciplined approach play and reliable putting. Although each professional will arrive with an individual preparation strategy, success ultimately requires adapting to the conditions encountered during the tournament.
Coastal golf can introduce changing winds that influence club selection, trajectory and the ability to control the ball. Players who judge these conditions effectively may gain an advantage, particularly when approaching greens or attempting to protect a narrow lead.
The course’s layout also makes strategic decisions important. Aggressive play can create scoring opportunities, but mistakes may become costly when players miss preferred positions or struggle to recover from difficult lies.
The tournament will use a 72-hole stroke-play format, with a cut after 36 holes. The official event website lists a field of 156 players, comprising 72 DP World Tour players, 72 Sunshine Tour players and 12 invitations. The announced prize fund is US$1.5 million.
What the event means for South African golf
The Mauritius Open has significance beyond the individual competition. Co-sanctioned tournaments create a bridge between regional professional golf and larger international circuits, giving players opportunities to compete against varied fields without losing their connection to the Sunshine Tour.
For emerging South African professionals, competing alongside established international names can provide valuable experience. Strong performances can help build confidence, increase visibility and demonstrate that players are capable of challenging for titles outside their home country.
The tournament also offers a platform for established professionals to extend their careers and pursue additional milestones. Grace’s ambitions illustrate how a single event can carry several layers of significance: a tournament victory, a career record and an opportunity to complete a specific achievement across the tours.
Meanwhile, Schaper’s return illustrates how quickly a breakthrough victory can change a player’s competitive profile. His 2025 success gave him a title to defend and a new challenge to manage as he continues developing internationally.
These individual stories help sustain interest in South African golf, particularly among supporters who follow the progress of both established stars and younger professionals.
The event’s anniversary also provides an opportunity to recognise the role of tournament organisers, sponsors, golf courses and tour administrators in maintaining international competition. Professional golf relies on these partnerships to deliver events that attract players, spectators and commercial support.
A December contest with history at stake
As the 10th AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open approaches, attention will increasingly focus on the returning champions and the wider field of international competitors.
Schaper will seek to defend his title, while Parry and Rozner will pursue another victory at a tournament they have already won. Grace, meanwhile, has a separate historical objective that could make his campaign one of the most closely followed South African stories of the week.
The presence of Jarvis, Lawrence and Burmester further strengthens the South African challenge, while international players will arrive hoping to prevent the returning champions from dominating the anniversary edition.
Ultimately, the competition will be decided by performance across four rounds rather than reputation. Players will need patience, precision and composure to navigate the course and take advantage of scoring opportunities.
For South African golf, the tournament represents another opportunity to demonstrate the country’s strength within international professional competition. For fans, it promises a compelling mixture of established champions, emerging talent and individual ambitions.
When play begins at Mont Choisy Le Golf from 10 to 13 December, the central question will be whether one of the returning champions can create history—or whether a new winner will emerge to define the tournament’s 10th edition.
