As ever, the draw for the second oldest National Open Championship in golf has thrown up some interesting threeballs, with defending champion Andy Sullivan, and a trio of home favourites in Ernie Els, Branden Grace and George Coetzee featuring.
Sullivan, who won twice in South Africa in the 2015 Race to Dubai on the way to a career-best finish of eighth in the Race to Dubai, will tee it up alongside Hennie Otto and Scottish amateur Daniel Young, at 12:10 from the first tee.
Young, who won the South African Amateur Championship, will be looking to gain invaluable experience alongside a pair that have both won three times on The European Tour.
Branden Grace will be out of bed much earlier than that group, with the talented 27 year old getting his quest to become the first home winner of the BMW SA Open in five years under way alongside Jaco Van Zyl and Marcel Siem at 07:00 from the tenth tee.
Much will be expected of Grace, who finished third in last season’s Race to Dubai standings, but is yet to win his home Open, while Van Zyl, who finished 21stin the overall standings in 2015, will be chasing a maiden win on The European Tour, having already made his mark with a number of high profile results last year.
Following on from the Grace group from the tenth tee is a trio of players with plenty of class, experience and knowhow.
Ernie Els, a five-time winner of this event, will attract his usual band of loyal supporters, with the ‘Big Easy’ having the consistent David Howell and fellow Major Champion Trevor Immelman for company over the first two rounds.
Fit again George Coetzee will be delighted to mark his return to European Tour action in his home country, following over four months out after breaking his ankle surfing.
Coetzee will have another laid back South African in his group in the form of two-time Major winner Retief Goosen, with England’s Lee Slattery the other player in a threeball which is bound to attract big galleries.
To see the full draw for the opening round of the BMW SA Open hosted by City of Ekurhuleniclick here.
