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Three-time singles Grand Slam Champion playing off a golfing handicap of 2 returns to Icons Series to compete against the men on The Links at Fancourt this December.
In an announcement celebrating Women’s Month in South Africa, Team World Captain José María Olazábal has confirmed the addition of three-times single Grand Slam Champion and former World No. 1 Ash Barty to his squad.
Barty will officially represent Team World as they travel to The Links at Fancourt in George (11–13 December 2026) to take on Ernie Els’s Team South Africa.
Taking on the men in high-stakes match-play golf, Barty – who plays off a 2 handicap, making her one of the standout players in the field – brings proven Icons Series experience to the lineup. During her 2022 performance at Icons Cup New York, Barty delivered a strong winning record on the course, demonstrating how seamlessly her elite athletic skills translate to the fairways.
Recognised as one of the most naturally gifted multi-sport athletes of her generation, Barty won the French Open, Wimbledon, and the Australian Open before retiring from professional tennis at the top of the world rankings. Playing off a 2 handicap, Barty brings competitive composure, a sharp short game, and big-match experience to Olazábal’s team.
Barty joins confirmed Team World players John Terry and Brian Lara as Team World builds its 14-player lineup for December.
The Icons Cup South Africa brings together 28 world-class athletes out of their traditional arenas to compete over three days of team match-play golf. Broadcast live globally to over 150 countries, the event highlights cross-sport rivalries, inside-the-ropes access, and unscripted drama.
With Ernie Els’s Team South Africa featuring AB de Villiers, Fourie du Preez, Butch James, and Vernon Philander, fans can expect further roster announcements from both captains in the coming weeks.
Staged at South Africa’s top-ranked course, The Links at Fancourt, the Icons Cup South Africa offers fans an up-close live spectator experience.
Tickets and exclusive hospitality packages are available now. For event updates, package details, and pre-registration, visit www.icons-series.com.
The Icons Series is where sports unite. A disruptive, world-first experiential sports and live entertainment brand, the series brings together the biggest, boldest cross-section of world-class athletes to compete in high-stakes, team match-play golf tournaments. Combining premium sports production with entertainment storytelling, the Icons Series delivers a fast-paced, lean-forward live show built for a modern global audience.
ABOUT ICONS CUP SOUTH AFRICA
The Icons Series is where sports unite – bringing the world’s biggest sporting icons to the golf course to play in a series of competitive team matchplay format events.
The Icons Series presents the Icons Cup South Africa, where the biggest game changers in world sport change the game to battle on the golf course. From 11th–13th December 2026, South Africa’s number one course, The Links at Fancourt in George will play host to the planet’s most iconic athletes, now fiercely passionate about golf. Teeing off in two teams captained by golf royalty, the players will bring their years of rivalry to the fairways across an intense match-play format of the highest drama. This December, Team South Africa takes on Team World on home soil where every shot counts.
Welcoming thousands of passionate local fans to The Links at Fancourt to rally behind Team South Africa on home soil, the venue will host spectators to feel the intense national pride, hear the players, track the rivalries, and witness every shot closer than ever. For those who cannot make it to the fairways to back their team in person, the high-stakes action will be broadcast worldwide, allowing global audiences to watch the drama unfold live across multiple platforms.
For more information, visit www.icons-series.com
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