ALL EYES ON SOUTH AFRICAN CONTINGENT AT GLENDOWER
IT DOES not have the eyedimming sparkle it had a year ago when Rory McIlroy thrilled large galleries from tee to green‚ but the SA Open‚ starting at Glendower today, has some star power.
McIlroy‚ who lost to Graeme Storm in a climactic sudden death playoff that went back and forth up the 18th hole‚ injured his back during the tournament and it was to have a profound effect on his early season activity.
In the Northern Irishman’s absence‚ tournament host Ernie Els has tried to ensure all the top home talent.
Els‚ Branden Grace‚ Brandon Stone‚ Retief Goosen‚ Charl Schwartzel‚ Trevor Immelman and Dylan Frittelli have all reported for duty, but the highest-ranked South African‚ Louis Oosthuizen‚ has not.
Andy Sullivan‚ Raphael Jaquelin‚ Jamie Donaldson‚ Edoardo Molinari and Storm will lead the international challenge.
Most eyes‚ however‚ will be on the top-ranked South Africans who have been gathered under the banner “the boys are back”.
The defence of Stone’s SA Open title never got off the ground last year so it is perhaps understandable that he recalls little of the event.
But he remembers his triumph two years ago as if it was yesterday. For two-time champion Goosen‚ the Glendower layout also has bittersweet memories.
Another former Masters champion‚ Canada’s Mike Weir‚ will make a rare appearance.
Donaldson and Molinari are grouped together‚ while Schwartzel and Grace will be joined by Chris Wood. – TimesLIVE