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Branden Grace back to defend Alfred Dunhill Championship title

Branden Grace heads in to this week as defending champion
Image: Branden Grace heads in to this week as defending champion

Branden Grace expects tough competition from compatriots Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel when he bids to defend his title at the season-opening Alfred Dunhill Championship in South Africa.

Less than a week after Rory McIlroy claimed DP World Tour Championship victory to end the season as European No 1, the new season gets underway at Leopard Creek Country Club - the venue where Grace cruised to a seven-shot victory last December.

Grace comes in to the co-sanctioned event off the back of a third place finish in Dubai to end the season third in the Race to Dubai standings, but feels his fellow South Africans will also have plenty to offer on home soil.  

Schwartzel is a three-time winner of the event while Oosthuizen, the highest-ranked player in the field, looks to go one better than last year's runner-up finish and end his winless 2015. 

"Charl (Schwartzel) has always played well here," Grace told a pre-tournament press conference. "Sometimes it seems that he's not been playing well in the year and he comes here and it brings out the best in him, so he's definitely going to be a tough contender this week.

Branden Grace holds the first round lead in Shanghai
Image: Grace has posted eight top-10s, including two victories, during 2015

"Louis (Oosthuizen) as well, he feels that this place owes him one but there's a lot of good players out there, a lot of guys that are on form."

"Coming back to Leopard with the fond memories of last year is nice and just getting to this place always feels nice."

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The 27-year-old features alongside Oosthuizen and European Tour regular Joost Luiten for the opening two rounds, while Schwartzel tees off with Eddie Pepperrell and Thomas Aiken.

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The event is Grace's fifth start in as many weeks having featured in the PGA Tour's CIMB Classic before playing in the last three Final Series tournaments, but the six-time European Tour is confident fatigue won't be a factor.

"I feel a little bit tired but you feel when you come home it doesn't feel like a normal tournament week," Grace added. "You feel you're more relaxed coming here.

"Last week was good, I wasn't in reach of maybe winning it but third position to finish off the tournament and the season was pretty nice.

Paul Dunne is one of a number of Q-school graduates in action this week
Image: Paul Dunne is one of a number of Q-school graduates in action this week

"It's been a good year with a lot of positives and it's always nice coming into this event feeling that your game is in good shape."

Lucas Bjerregaard comes in to the tournament off the back of three top-10 finishes in his past five starts, while Paul Dunne and Edoardo Molinari are two of a number of this month's Qualifying School graduates to also be featuring. 

Watch the Alfred Dunhill Championship live throughout the week on Sky Sports 4 - your home of golf

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