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Els aims to set record at home

South Africa's Ernie Els will be trying for an unprecedented three consecutive wins in the Sun City Golf challenge following …

Thu Nov 29 2001 - 00:00

South Africa's Ernie Els will be trying for an unprecedented three consecutive wins in the Sun City Golf challenge following his play-off victory last year and his win in 1999 with a record 25-under-par aggregate of 263.

The tournament, which starts today, comes of age this year. It is 21 years old and in that time it has maintained its reputation of consistently offering the richest prize in world golf.

It used to be called the Million Dollar with a $1 million first prize. But when the rest of the world started to catch up, Sun City doubled the money. So last year Els became the first man in history to hole a putt for $2 million when he beat Lee Westwood in a sudden-death play-off.

"I was shaking so much that I could hardly take the putter back," the world number four recalled. "I found out that money does talk. They say the pros don't worry about the money, but in a situation like that I couldn't get it out of my mind."

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This year the 12-man field includes two Irishmen: Padraig Harrington, who will be making his debut, and Darren Clarke.

Spanish sensation Sergio Garcia, who after three worldwide victories this year plus a number of other high finishes has risen to number five in the world rankings, makes his second appearance in the event.

When he last played in this tournament in 1999 as a temperamental 19-year-old he closed with an indifferent 75 to finish ninth. He then incurred the wrath of the sponsors by criticising the course, and the greens in particular. "I was a bit hot-headed in those days," he admitted yesterday. "But I feel I've matured a lot in the game, especially this year. As a result I've cooled down quite a lot although I do still get cross with myself."

US Open champion Retief Goosen, who topped the Order of Merit on the European Tour this year, and Canada's Mike Weir will be making their first appearances. The other players in the field are three-time champion Nick Price of Zimbabwe, 1996 winner Colin Montgomerie of Scotland, Westwood (England), Jim Furyk (US), Thomas Bjorn (Denmark) and Bernhard Langer (Germany).