By Iqbal Khan at Sun City
There's no doubt that Ernie Els will be missed at the Nedbank Golf Challenge at the Gary Player Country Club which began early on Thursday in the Pilanesberg, but there are some outstanding players in the 12-man field who will make the South African proud.
Els, who has played a record 16 times at the Gary Player designed course, misses this year's event as he wants to stay close to his family especially his son, who is suffering from a rare disease.
The Big Easy has won three times in 1999, 2000 and 2002 and as one of three players to have won thrice, will no doubt be back next year if everything goes according to plan. The other two players who have won the Nedbank Golf Challenge three times are South Africa's David Frost (1989, 1990, 1992) and Zimbabwean Nick Price (93, 97, 98).
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Judging from Wednesday's Pro-Am, there are some terrific players in this year's field, who will be hunting down the title and the $1,2-million (R12-million) cheque.
The best round in the Pro-Am was reserved for American Kenny Perry as he fired a 66; he was criticised early this year for staying away from the British Open and the US Open as he was determined to make the US Ryder Cup team. Lee Westwood, Justin Rose, runner-up to Trevor Immelman last year, and Rory Sabbatini signed for 76s.
Business-like
Hot favourite Sergio Garcia went about playing the course in a business-like fashion as he carded 70, along with South African James Kingston.
Miguel Angel Jimenez had a nightmare 77, but that may not count for much as the Spaniard may have played his worst round at about the right time going into the tournament.
Meanwhile SuperSport has added a new dimension to the Nedbank Golf Challenge, with not only their extensive live coverage of the event, but by adding the world renowned voices of Peter Oosterhuis, know as America's Voice of Golf, along with another American in Jim Kelly, plus Ken Brown and Andrew Coultart of the United Kingdom.
They will be joined by South Africans Dale Hayes and Dave Usendorff, two regulars on the SuperSport commentary team, plus three-times winner of the NGC, Nick Price, and the country's all-time great woman golfer, Sally Little.
Another SuperSport innovation will be live Internet chats.
For an hour each day, commentators will go online and chat live with viewers around the world.
TV TODAY: Live on M-Net and SS1 from 10am (Highlights at 9.30pm SS1 and CSN)
Tomorrow: Live on M-Net and SS1 10am (Highlights at 9.30pm on SS1 and CSN).
- This article was originally published on page 32 of Daily News on December 04, 2008
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