Louis Oosthuizen - 2011 Champion (EuropeanTour)

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News

• Ticket Info - Africa Open
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Players

• Retief GOOSEN
• Louis OOSTHUIZEN

Defending champion Louis Oosthuizen and two-time Major champion Retief Goosen can expect a warm welcome when they return to the East London Golf Club, in Buffalo City, to compete in the Africa Open from January 5-8, 2012.

Dual US Open winner Goosen and 2010 Open Champion Oosthuizen head a world-class field at the fifth edition of the €1-million tournament, which will again be co-sanctioned by The European and Sunshine and Tours.

Oosthuizen got his 2011 campaign off to a flying start when he holed out from eight foot at the first extra hole in a play-off against England’s Chris Wood and Manual Quiros of Spain to lift the Africa Open title in January.

After a relatively quiet spell in the immediate aftermath of that victory, his form improved markedly in October, when he finished fifth at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and third at the Iskandor Johor Open.

Ranked 38th in the Official World Golf Ranking after two more solid top ten finishes in November, the 29 year old is confident of mounting a strong title defence.

“Nothing beats playing and performing at home, and I really enjoyed wining at home at the start of the season with all my family there, and against a very strong field,” he said. “I’m going back to East London with some very positive memories, and I’ll put everything into my title defence. Hopefully I can finish the job in regulation play this time.”

Oosthuizen said that he enjoyed the risk and reward element of the layout at East London Golf Club.

“It’s the kind of golf course that really challenges your game when the wind is up, but it also offers great opportunities for low scoring when you can keep it in play,” he said. “I struggled with the putter all the way, but I was rewarded for great tee shots and solid iron play.”

“When the wind is up, the course demands a lot of shot-making, which I like. Sometimes you are just battling to survive, but then you hit a great approach and you are rewarded with a great birdie or even an eagle. Hopefully the wind will blow, because I think that’s the way the golf course is meant to be played.”

While Oosthuizen tends to show great form in bursts, 2009 African Open winner Goosen is widely recognised as an extremely consistent performer with good ball striking and putting as his greatest strengths.

When the World Number 53 gets his putter working, as he did in the final round of the Africa Open in 2009, he is almost unstoppable.

Coming from four behind, the 42 year old fired a final round of 65 which included eight birdies to hold off the Northern Irish duo of Darren Clarke and Michael Hoey and his compatriots Branden Grace and Darren Fichardt to record his 37th career victory.

“But for that three-putt at the final hole, my putting was virtually faultless that day,” said Goosen. “I’d just turned 40 when I won, and I’ve always felt that winning in East London put the spark back into my career.”

In the last 12 months, Goosen has slipped out of the top 50 of the World Ranking due to a succession of injuries which have limited his playing opportunities, but a recent resurgence in form suggests that the Major champion will soon be back to his winning ways.

“I’ve always enjoyed starting my season at the Africa Open,” he said. “I had that great result in 2009, and I was pretty devastated when I missed the cut in January. Now that the injuries are a thing of the past, I hope the Africa Open will spark another return to form for me.

“Every golfer wants to win, and to be successful you have to win. I would love to get my 2012 season off to a fast start, and hopefully I will be on the winning side of the final putt.”

Oosthuizen and Goosen can expect a strong local and international challenge when they vie for a repeat success in the New Year.

The Africa Open’s position at the start of the season not only makes it a sought-after prize, as local professionals seek the opportunity to earn membership of the European Tour; but it also offers a tremendous incentive to South African and European Tour players hoping to make an early impact in The 2012 Race to Dubai. 

This year’s event will also be key for The European Tour Members looking to strengthen their positions in The 2012 Ryder Cup points list.