ELS RETURNS: Ernie Els is preparing for a nerve-racking first round when he makes his competitive comeback after a four-month lay-off with a knee injury at next month's Nedbank Challenge in South Africa.
The three-times major winner, out of action since twisting his knee on a family sailing holiday in the Mediterranean in July, will return to tournament golf in the December 1st-4th event at Sun City.
"I've got my comeback set for the Nedbank and, to be honest with you, I can't wait.
Bear in mind I haven't had a job for the past three months," said the 36-year-old South African.
"When I was playing golf last week, my swing felt pretty good. And I'm just about starting to get back some of the feel in my short game. It's going as well as I could have hoped."
Els, who had initial surgery on July 28th before his anterior cruciate ligament was reconstructed on August 8th, has made a faster recovery than he expected.
He had initially targeted the South African Open, which starts on December 15th, for his return to competitive golf.
"By the beginning of October, I sensed that the rehab and exercises were going a lot better than any of us had predicted," said the twice US Open champion.
Last week, Els holidayed with his family in the Bahamas where he worked hard on his fitness in the morning, enjoyed quality beach time in the middle of the day and played a few holes of golf in the late afternoon.
"It was just perfect," he said. "All in all, it was one of the nicest weeks I can remember in a long time."
Els will join five other players in the world's top 10 at Sun City - 2004 champion and world number four Retief Goosen, Sergio Garcia (six), Jim Furyk (seven), Adam Scott (eight) and Chris DiMarco (nine).
Stewart Cink, South African Open champion Tim Clark, Darren Clarke, Luke Donald, Angel Cabrera and Kenny Perry make up the rest of the 12-man field.
DUNHILL CHAMPIONSHIP: Record prize money of €1 million has been confirmed for next month's Dunhill Championship in South Africa, the European Tour announced yesterday.
The prize fund is €720,000 higher than last year, making the European Tour-sanctioned event among the most lucrative on the schedule.
Had it offered a similar purse 11 months ago, it would have been the eighth richest tournament in the first six months of the 2005 schedule.
The Dunhill Championship, to be played at Leopard Creek near Malelane from December 8th to December 11th, is the fourth event on the 2006 European Tour.
The South African Open, being staged the following week at Fancourt Golf Club outside George, also offers prize money of €1 million.
"This is a tremendous boost for South African professional golf," Sunshine Tour commissioner Johan Immelman said in a statement.
"I would really like to applaud the Dunhill Championship for this increase in its purse.
"It has always been one of our most prestigious tournaments and this increase will ensure that it remains one of the flagship tournaments of our Tour."
The winner of this year's event will receive a cheque for €166,660, more than €45,000 up on the figure earned by South Africa's Charl Schwartzel when he achieved his European Tour breakthrough at Leopard Creek last December.
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