Coetzee ready for repeat
Defending champion George Coetzee insists he is ready to maximise the advantage of playing on his home course at the Tshwane Open this week.
Coetzee learned to play the game, and is still the touring professional, at Pretoria Country Club. Fittingly, the 29-year-old ranks his victory at the same event and same venue in 2015 as the most memorable of his career.
"It’s where I grew up. I played my first event there so to win last year was a dream come true," the former University of San Diego student told the European Tour website.
The three-time European Tour winner did not hesitate to highlight that knowing the course as well as he does will give him the edge over his fellow competitors this week.
"I probably know the course better than anyone," he added.
"Knowing the course gives me a bit of a head start on some of the guys.
"It is quite a thinker’s course."
To further boost his chances of victory this week, the South African claims to be hitting the ball as well as he ever has and feels that mental errors are the only reason he has not won in recent weeks at the Qatar Masters and the Dubai Desert Classic.
"I know I'm playing well, which only adds to the excitement of the tournament. I've struck the ball very well the last three weeks but mentally I haven't been quite as sharp as I would've liked, maybe because I haven't been used to posting really low scores for a while."
Threats to Coetzee’s hopes of mounting a successful title defence will come from, amongst others, Charl Schwartzel, Zander Lombard, Edoardo Molinari, Brandon Stone and Haydn Porteous.
Latest
-
ScotlandKeith Pelley says new European Tour calendar could be ‘glimpse into the future’
The English Open has been revived as part of the new schedule.
-
ScotlandEuropean Tour to resume from July with six successive UK-based tournaments
Close House Golf Club, near Newcastle, will host the British Masters on July 22.
-
UKAll the key questions answered about the English Open’s return
The event was last staged in 2002.
-
ScotlandLee Westwood hopeful British Masters will go ahead in July
The tournament at Close House, scheduled to start on July 30, is set to be the first European Tour event since the coronavirus crisis halted action.
-
UKRory McIlroy predicts the Ryder Cup will not go ahead this year
The world number one believes it would be the ‘right call’ to push the event back to 2021.
-
UKTiger Woods and Peyton Manning win charity golf match for Covid-19 relief
The exhibition match, against Phil Mickelson and Tom Brady, raised 20 million dollars.
-
ScotlandWil Besseling edges out Connor Syme to claim victory in BMW Indoor Invitational
The Dutchman finished third and second in the first two weeks of the home-based competition.
-
ScotlandTiger Woods and Phil Mickelson to meet again in Florida charity event
NFL stars Tom Brady and Peyton Manning will also be involved.
-
NewsDonald Trump delighted to see golf return and wants other sports to follow
The US President was among the viewers watching the TaylorMade Driving Relief.
-
NewsDonald Trump deflects Rory McIlroy’s vow to not play with him again
The US President phoned in as McIlroy played in a Sunday fundraiser for coronavirus victims.