Thursday 14 January 2016 15:52, UK
Ernie Els will make his Joburg Open debut this week as he searches for much-needed confidence with his putter ahead of the Desert Swing.
The two-time Open Champion was handed a tournament invite over the weekend, with Els keen to test his putting out again in tournament conditions ahead of next week's Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship.
Els' putting yips returned as tournament host at last week's SA Open, missing a 'gimme' putt from barely a foot away on his way to an early exit, similar to the problems he experienced late last year at both the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and the CIMB Classic.
The 46-year-old has since vowed to beat the putting issues that have contributed to him dropping to world No 194, believing he had found something positive in his green play.
Defending champion Andy Sullivan isn't involved this week as he is Malaysia-bound representing Europe in the EurAsia Cup, but former champion Richard Sterne and 2014 winner George Coetzee are both in action.
Coeztee reached the winner's circle twice during 2015 following Tshwane Open victory with a play-off win at the Mauritius Open before an ankle injury brought an early end to his season.
Although the current world No 93 missed the cut on his return to action at the SA Open, the South African feels confident his game is heading back in the right direction.
"I've got a lot of work to do to catch up with these guys playing out here now, but I'm working on some good stuff and I'm excited about the game," Coetzee said. "It's just a question of when do we get there.
"I've only had two proper golf rounds this year, but we'll see when I start hitting decent shots and I can start focusing on what my mind's doing - my first goal is just to make the cut and then maybe shoot an under par round.
"The homework for this golf course isn't that much, but at least when I come to this course I know what club to hit on each tee box, so there's not too much thinking, just playing."
Coetzee features alongside last year's joint-runner Jaco Van Zyl and Made In Denmark champion David Horsey for the opening two rounds, while SA Open winner Brandon Stone tees off with Els and Germany's Marcel Siem.
Stone claimed an emotional maiden European Tour victory with a two-shot win at Glendower CC last week, but the Challenge Tour graduate now looks forward to playing alongside one of his childhood idols.
"I get to play with the guy (Els) I've grown up watching," he said. "I just saw the draw now and it's the first time I'm ever going to play with Ernie in a tournament. It's going to be really, really special.
"To watch him play and watch this guy that I've grown up idolising, make his way around a golf course like this, it's going to be quite unique and quite fun."
The top three this week who are not already exempt will qualify for the Open Championship, with only Els, David Howell, Paul Lawrie and Van Zyl currently already in the field for Royal Troon.
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