Austin Bautista has been crowned the 2026 FNB Eswatini Challenge champion after four days of competition at Ezulwini Golf and Country Club, securing his second Sunshine Tour title in a tournament that brought more than 100 international professionals to Eswatini.
Bautista held his composure through challenging weather conditions to finish at the top of the field and claim the title at the fifth edition of the FNB Eswatini Challenge.
The victory adds another Sunshine Tour title to Bautista’s career and comes after a week in which players were tested by the conditions on the course.
Speaking after his victory, Bautista thanked FNB Eswatini, the Sunshine Tour, NOMADS and his fellow competitors for what he described as a tough but memorable challenge.
For Bautista, the win adds another trophy to a career he hopes will ultimately be remembered for its achievements and the journey along the way.
The champion also acknowledged FNB Eswatini CEO Thokozani Dlamini and Minister of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs Bongani Nzima for their words of encouragement and congratulations.
The tournament also recognised the three highest-placed emaSwati golfers through a separate E60,000 prize fund introduced by FNB Eswatini as part of its support for local golf.
Brandon-Jude Rennie finished as the highest-placed emaSwati golfer, taking home E30,000. Austin Mabaso finished second among the local players and received E20,000, while Machawe Maziya placed third and earned E10,000.
The local prize fund formed part of FNB Eswatini’s broader commitment to developing golf in the country, with CEO Dlamini saying the bank wants to see local golfers become increasingly competitive at regional and international level.
The 2026 Challenge featured 15 emaSwati golfers alongside the international professional field, with the tournament also introducing its inaugural FNB Junior Golf Day during the week.
For Bautista, however, the week ended with the main prize and the distinction of becoming the 2026 FNB Eswatini Challenge champion.
He now leaves Eswatini with his second Sunshine Tour title and another significant addition to his professional career.FNB Eswatini Challenge Records 12 Sponsors as Tournament Grows in Scale
The FNB Eswatini Challenge has recorded its highest number of sponsors since its inception, with 12 companies and organisations supporting the fifth edition of the Sunshine Tour tournament held at Ezulwini Golf and Country Club.
FNB Eswatini CEO Thokozani ‘TK’ Dlamini said the record number of sponsors was an indication of the tournament’s growing stature, with the 2026 Challenge bringing together more than 100 international professional golfers, 15 emaSwati players and 30 junior golfers during the course of the week.
The 12 sponsors were AD Enterprises, aQuelle, Oracle Group Eswatini, Sgonian Republik, Destiny Events, Eswatini Post and Telecommunications Corporation, Phutfumani, MTN Eswatini, Ezulwini Municipality, Eswatini Beverages, Times of Eswatini and Eswatini TV.
Despite difficult weather conditions earlier in the week, the partners continued with the tournament programme, which culminated in the crowning of Austin Bautista as the 2026 champion.
Dlamini thanked the sponsors for contributing to the tournament and said their participation had helped create what he described as a memorable experience for clients, players, partners and spectators.
The tournament also attracted support from longstanding partners including the Sunshine Tour, Eswatini Professional Golfers Association, Eswatini Golf Union, Ezulwini Golf and Country Club and NOMADS.
According to Dlamini, the Challenge also generated activity beyond the golf course, particularly within the hospitality and retail sectors.
“We have seen a hive of economic activity within the local hospitality sector and our retailers,” Dlamini said during the prize-giving ceremony.
Minister for Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs Bongani Nzima also highlighted the economic activity generated by the tournament, saying the benefits had extended beyond the course.
“Beyond the putting and chipping on the green, our economy has been invigorated by the life that comes with the Challenge,” Nzima said.
He pointed to hospitality and retail as some of the areas benefiting from the tournament and said the Challenge demonstrated the wider economic impact that sporting events can have.
The tournament also extended Eswatini’s exposure beyond its borders, with Dlamini noting that coverage of the Challenge appeared across online news platforms, television, radio and newspapers.
Nzima said the growth of the tournament had also seen it develop beyond its original sporting focus.
“When we launched this tournament at this same venue, we highlighted that the FNB Eswatini Challenge had now become a matter of national importance,” he said.
The Minister added that the Challenge was “steadily growing in stature beyond our borders”, praising FNB Eswatini and its partners for staging what he described as a professional tournament.
He also challenged FNB Eswatini to make the 2027 edition the biggest yet.
The fifth edition therefore closed with more than a champion and a trophy. It ended with increased sponsor participation, international professional representation, local-player development initiatives and a tournament that Government says is contributing to both sport and economic activity in Eswatini.
