European Tour hits South Africa
BY Bruce Young | European PGA Tour | 2008 Alfred Dunhill Championship | Preview | 11 Dec 2008
The European Tour joins forces with South Africa’s Sunshine Tour this week for the Alfred Dunhill Championship at the Leopard Creek Golf Estate and Country Club in Mpumalangaon the southern edge of Kruger National Park.
The event is being played for the 15th occasions and for the 5th at this Gary Player designed venue.
The defending champion is Englishman John Bickerton who defeated Ernie Els after the South African, who was trying to win the event for the 4th occasion, unbelievably triple bogeyed the final hole.
“I really didn’t know what was happening at the end,” Bickerton told European Tour. “I was packing up my things and wasn’t really sure what Lee (Slattery) was doing but I thought I might have a chance of second on my own which would have been a pretty good week. Then someone came and told me I’d won and, to be honest, I was in shock.”
Neither Els nor Bickerton are playing in 2008 and favouritism for the event rests with the leading world ranked player in the field (#10) Lee Westwood. Westwood has played beautifully all season and finished a respectable 5th last week in the Nedbank Challenge last season.
Charl Schwartzel saves some of his best golf for his home country and as a previous winner on this golf course and twice runner up he has to be respected as a potential winner. Schwartzel won the Madrid Masters recently and arrives at this event after good tournaments in China and Singapore.
Rory McIlroy has been in stunning form in recent weeks with six top tens in his last eight starts. Still only 19 years of age the Northern Irishman is along with Ryo Ishikawa and Jason Day the most precocious talent in the game and it would be of no surprise to see him win his first European Tour event this week.
After what has been a very poor season in 2008, Rory Sabbatini appeared to be finding when 4th last week at Sun City and so he may be on the verge of a good week after struggling since a great starts to the PGA Tour earlier this year.
David Lynn has played well in this event on occasions and some good form in recent weeks indicates he could do so again.
With the Australian Open on in Sydney, there are no Australasians in the field this week.
