SA's Big Four back for SAA Open
30 August 2006
Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Tim Clark and Trevor Immelman have all confirmed their participation in the €1-million South African Airways Open Championship at Humewood Golf Club in Port Elizabeth from 14 to 17 December.
South Africa's leading professional golfers will herald the return of the game's second oldest national Open - after the British Open - to one of the most storied layouts in golf, with Humewood also celebrating its seventy-fifth anniversary this year.
Last year's event, played at The Links at Fancourt, produced one of the closest finishes in the history of the event, with Goosen hitting birdies on the final two holes to win his second national Open after a dramatic final-round battle with Els.
One of the better genuine links
courses
It will be the fifth occasion that Humewood - recognised worldwide as one of the better genuine links courses - hosts South Africa's national Open, the last time being in 1957.
The Championship is also returning to its roots, as it was first played in Port Elizabeth in 1893. It was from these beginnings that it grew into the premier event it is today, co-sanctioned by both the European Tour and Sunshine Tour, and featuring the cream of the world's players.
Several changes have been made to a Humewood layout expected to provide a stern test for the world's finest professionals, including lengthening the course to the over 7 000-yard standard of all British Opens.
"We've added five new tees to lengthen it to over 7 000 yards, and we've added six new bunkers," said Humewood Golf Club president Keith Simpson. "We've grown in the fairways a bit and we're not cutting the rough, and the wind in December will make it a very good challenge.
"The
course will be in very good shape by the time of the Championship," Simpson added. "We have had a lot of rain, but by the summer it will be a perfect links."
Humewood's Open winners
Humewood has strong ties with the history of the Championship. Sid Brews won two of his eight national Open titles at the layout, and became its oldest champion at 52 years and 11 months with his victory in 1952.
Bobby Locke won the fifth of his nine national Open titles at Humewood in 1940 by a staggering 10 shots, while Harold Henning won the last Open held at Humewood, in 1957.
As a test of golf, Locke declared it worthy of hosting a British Open (should it ever be played outside the United Kingdom), and double US Open champion Goosen rates Humewood's sixth hole among his 18 favourite holes in the world.
Golf reaches out
The decision to take the Open back to the Eastern Cape also reflects South African Airways'
commitment to giving the whole country access to some of its greatest golfers.
The tournament was also "a platform for the development of up and coming stars of the game, and a way of promoting the country itself and contributing to its ever strengthening economy," said SAA CEO Khaya Ngqula.
George O'Grady, executive director of the European Tour, said the world's second oldest Open championship "has a special place in golfing history. Humewood also has its place in South African golf history, and is recognised worldwide as one of the top links courses. All the European Tour members are looking forward to visiting it."
Source: Sunshine Tour
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