On Monday I wrote about the weekend that South African golf enjoyed with Rory Sabbatini winning the Honda and Dean Pappas in Bogota..
Well look out the South Africans are coming again, and for me will be one of the main stories I will be following... Why ?
Ernie Els is the defending champion, one of the kids who grew up playing in his Golf Academy Charl Schwartzel was second. Sabbatini as I have just mentioned is in fabulous form and Louis Oosthuizen already has a win (African Open) and a third this year and don't forget golf's quiet man Retief Goosen or Thomas Aiken who is unheralded here, but has been in great form on the Euro tour. They are all in this field and would be even stronger if Tim Clark wasn't injured.
europeantour.com: Schwartzel has made a terrific start to the 2011 Race to Dubai, and sits fourth in the standings having finished no lower than eighth in his five strokeplay events.
The 26 year old was in particularly good form during The European Tour's South Africa swing, finishing second, fourth and fourth before winning the Joburg Open, and he finished 17th at the recent WGC World Matchplay
"I've got off to a good start again this year," said Schwartzel. "I played some really good golf down in South Africa and even in Abu Dhabi. This golf course, I have good memories and I see the wind is blowing again, which if I'm playing well, I like it when the wind blows."
On previous trips to the USA, Schwartzel has stayed at Els' house in Florida, but is now renting accommodation nearby with Open Champion Louis Oosthuizen. "Ernie's house, he's very kind to us," he added. "He always says ‘Whenever you guys want, just come in and help yourselves and make yourselves at home'. I'm sure if I take my washing there, he's not going to do it, but his people will!"
Play gets underway in a couple of hours in Florida, I saw Breakfast TV earlier this morning and it was raining pretty hard at Disney World in Orlando and there are thundershowers in the forecast for Doral today...
TODAY - Becoming partly sunny with slight chance of showers in the morning - then mostly cloudy with chance of showers and slight chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the lower 80s. South winds around 10 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon. Chance of rain 40 percent.
Puerto Rico Open.. 3 Canucks are already into their first round down in Puerto Rico.. David Hearn is -1 through 5, Chris Baryla -1 through 3 and Mike Weir +3 through 8.... Ames and Matt McQuillan will tee off later today
Bryan Angus
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