Winning a professional golf tournament is difficult enough. Winning the same one twice, as the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open’s history shows, is another matter entirely.

Nine editions have passed without a repeat champion, but that could change when the tournament celebrates its tenth staging at Mont Choisy Le Golf this December.

Defending champion Jayden Schaper returns alongside England’s John Parry and France’s Antoine Rozner, giving the Sunshine Tour and DP World Tour co-sanctioned event three former winners with a chance to make a little history.

For Schaper, though, there is something else to consider. Despite his growing experience on the international stage, the South African has never previously defended a professional title.

Jayden Schaper Returns to Where His Career Took Off

Schaper’s victory at the 2025 Mauritius Open was hardly a routine affair.

Playing at La Réserve Golf Links, he secured the title by chipping in to defeat American Ryan Gerard in a playoff, producing the sort of finish that tends to remain lodged in a golfer’s memory long after the trophy has found its place at home.

The win proved an important moment in his career, helping establish his place on the international stage. He has since competed predominantly on the DP World Tour, with his performances putting him in contention for a PGA Tour card for 2027.

Now he returns to Mauritius with different expectations and the unfamiliar experience of arriving as defending champion.

“It’s a first in my professional career, and it’s at a place I really love. I’ve got my family coming with me again. It’s always a nice week in Mauritius. I’m looking forward to getting there and the memories of winning last year, and just playing golf again in Mauritius,” he said.

The setting will be different from the one where he claimed his breakthrough victory, but the memories are clearly travelling with him.

And Schaper admits that revisiting those moments has become a useful way of maintaining perspective when life on tour becomes less accommodating.

“There are moments when I’m out on tour and I have a bad day, and then I sit back and realise what’s happened this season. It helps to keep that positive mindset. I often scroll back on my Instagram to see those shots and those moments again. That’s what you practice for – for those moments to be in that position to win a tournament. I like going back to remind myself what I’ve done.”

There is something reassuringly human about a professional golfer scrolling through his own greatest hits after a difficult day at work. The difference, of course, is that Schaper’s collection includes a tournament-winning chip-in.

Parry and Rozner Have Their Own Mauritius Memories

Schaper will not be the only man returning with a winner’s perspective.

England’s John Parry claimed the Mauritius Open title at Mont Choisy Le Golf in 2024, while Frenchman Antoine Rozner won at the same venue in 2022.

Both therefore have the advantage of having already won this tournament on the course hosting December’s event.

That gives the contest an interesting dimension. Schaper arrives with the defending champion’s confidence, while Parry and Rozner return to a venue where they have previously enjoyed success.

All three are chasing the same distinction: becoming the first player to lift the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open trophy twice.

Strong South African and French Contingents Confirmed

The challenge will extend well beyond the three returning champions.

France’s Adrien Saddier, who has recorded a DP World Tour victory this season, joins Rozner in the field.

South Africa will also be represented by several established names, including multiple DP World Tour winners Casey Jarvis, Thriston Lawrence, Branden Grace and Dean Burmester.

American Michael LaSasso, who has made his mark on LIV Golf, is another notable addition to the line-up.

The combination of established winners and emerging talent should make for an intriguing contest, particularly with three former champions carrying such a clear historical incentive.

Mauritius Open 2026: Dates and Venue

The tenth AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open takes place from Thursday 10 December to Sunday 13 December 2026 at Mont Choisy Le Golf, Mauritius.

Co-sanctioned by the Sunshine Tour and DP World Tour, the event brings together players from across the international professional game.

For Schaper, the tournament represents an opportunity to defend the title that helped propel his career forward. For Parry and Rozner, it offers a return to the scene of previous victories.

And for all three, there is the chance to achieve something that has eluded every champion since the tournament began.

Nine editions, nine different winners. Someone could finally break that sequence in December.