Ernie Els returns to action after a week's break to contest the Johnnie Walker Classic at Lake Karrinyup Country Club, Perth, aiming to prolong a start to the season which has yielded three titles in his last four starts.
The reigning Open Champion launched his year with back-to-back victories on the US PGA Tour in the Mercedes Championships and the Sony Open in Hawaii. A week later the 33 year old South African finished second in Singapore before making a successful defence of his Heineken Classic title in Melbourne after being ten shots behind at halfway.
This week the World Number Two heads the most impressive field of the year to date, one which includes the defending champion and World Number Five Retief Goosen and Spain's Sergio Garcia one place below the South African in the Official World Golf Ranking.
Twelve months ago Goosen claimed his eighth and most emphatic victory on The European Tour International Schedule when he cruised to an eight stroke win at Lake Karrinyup. It was his first success in Australasia and helped him to finish Number One on the Volvo Order of Merit for a second successive season as he became the first non-European to retain the Harry Vardon Trophy.
Goosen launches his 2003 European Tour campaign this week as does Spain’s Garcia. The 22 year old, third behind Goosen at Lake Karrinyup last year, started his 2002 season in a blaze of glory by winning the Mercedes Championships before showing remarkable consistency, becoming the only player to finish in the top ten of all four Major Championships.
Garcia is joined by Ryder Cup team mates Thomas Björn, Niclas Fasth, Paul McGinley and Lee Westwood in addition to Paul Casey, Mark Foster and Trevor Immelman, all winners on The 2003 European Tour International Schedule.
The event, co-sanctioned by the Asian PGA Tour, the Australasian Tour and The European Tour, returns to the same venue for a second successive year for the first time in its history following the success of last year's event at Lake Karrinyup.
