EUROPEAN NUMBER one Robert Karlsson said accuracy would be the key to success at the Sun City Challenge in South Africa which starts today. The Swede, fresh from his World Cup victory alongside compatriot Henrik Stenson in China last week, is looking to cap a brilliant year by scoring his third victory of the season in the invitational 12-man event at the Gary Player Country Club.
"The rough is pretty tough," Karlsson said after yesterday's pro-am. "Its difficult to control the ball out of there but it can be done.
"The course will play quite long. This week will come down to a precision game, the guy who is the most accurate will win or get a good result." The rough has grown higher than normal after lots of rain in recent weeks.
Karlsson is making his debut at Sun City, an event he said was held in high regard by the players.
"I've heard a lot about this tournament from Henrik, Justin Rose and the other guys who have played here," added the world number six. "It holds a lot of prestige among the players.
"To be honest it was a little hard to focus today," he said. "It's been a long season but once we get going tomorrow I look forward to challenging for the title."
Also making their debuts in the €3.1 million tournament are KJ Choi of South Korea and South African James Kingston.
US Masters winner Trevor Immelman is the defending champion this week while world number two Sergio Garcia is the highest-ranked player involved.
The other competitors are British trio Rose, Lee Westwood and Luke Donald, Swede Stenson, American Kenny Perry, Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez and South African Rory Sabbatini.
Meanwhile Australian Robert Allenby almost pulled out of the Australian PGA tournament in Queensland this week, only for his terminally ill mother to tell him to go out and win it.
"I said to mum (Sylvia) on Tuesday morning when we were having breakfast before I flew up here that I was happy to stay at home," Allenby said in Coolum ahead of the tournament.
"I told mum 'I'm happy to stay home with you if you want. I don't have to go play'. You're more important than golf, tell me what you would like me to do.
"She said 'I'd like you to go up there and win the tournament . . . but if you don't win, don't worry about it, it's not the end of the world and I will still love you after it'."
Severiano Ballesteros has left intensive care after his fourth operation, the Madrid hospital at which he is being treated have confirmed.
The five-time major winner underwent further surgery on Tuesday for the placement of a cephalorachidian fluid VP shunt.
At the same time, the surgical team treating the 51-year-old performed a cranioplasty to repair a bone defect.
He remained in intensive care overnight being moved back to the ward yesterday.
Ballesteros was diagnosed with a brain tumour after losing consciousness at Madrid Airport in October.
The hospital statement went on to warn there was still a long way to go in his recovery plan.
