Charl Schwartzel returns to action following a four week break feeling refreshed and ready to challenge for a third victory at the Joburg Open.
Schwartzel triumphed at Royal Johannesburg & Kensington GC in 2010 and 2011 – the latter coming just three months before he claimed the Green Jacket at Augusta National – and he is hoping to continue his strong start to the 2014 season with another top showing at the venue.
The 29 year old South African has made four appearances on home soil so far on The 2014 Race to Dubai, recording three top ten finishes followed by a share of 15th position at the Volvo Golf Champions.
Having recharged his batteries, Schwartzel is looking forward to resuming his campaign at Royal Johannesburg & Kensington GC.
“After some time off I always feel fresh, because I drain more mentally than I do physically,” he said.
“It’s nice to have had time off and I feel up for the challenge, and in our game that’s 85 per cent of the battle won. Time will tell what’s going to happen, but at least I feel good.
“I’ve played a few rounds and I’ve been shooting low scores, so the birdies are out there. The greens are a bit slower than they normally are, but it’s only Tuesday, so hopefully they speed up a bit by Thursday.”
Schwartzel has been drawn alongside defending champion Richard Sterne and Englishman Danny Willett for the first two rounds, with Sterne sharing his target of an unprecedented hat-trick having won in 2008 and last year, when he finished seven shots clear of Schwartzel.
“We (Richard Sterne and I) have played a lot of good golf around here, so we’re pretty comfortable with it,” said Schwartzel. “There are a few guys out here that can play it well. Alvaro Quiros is here and he is one of the longest hitters in the game, so if he hits it straight then he’ll have a good chance this week.
“I don’t think anything really changes for me around here. I’ve had some nice time off and got some good practice here in the last week. It’s always good to play in this tournament at a course that I like, and it’s no different this year.”
While South Africans have dominated the roll of honour so far at the Joburg Open – winning five out of seven editions – Schwartzel is well aware of the threat posed by the international players in the field.
“It’s not nice when they come and beat you on your home soil,” said the World Number 18. “But then they do find it difficult to come here and play us at altitude. They only get one other chance to play at altitude and that’s in Switzerland, which is not quite the same. You have to learn how to play around the Johannesburg area. Maybe that’s part of why the South Africans have had such good success.”
Another South African with designs on the title this week is George Coetzee who, despite a strong showing in the ‘Desert Swing’ with top five finishes in Abu Dhabi and Qatar, is still looking for his maiden European Tour title.
“I feel like I’ve played well enough to win a couple of times, but the other guys just did a little bit more,” he said. “It’s just a question of when it’s my week, when that long putt goes in on the second last hole or the last hole. It’s a matter of time, and I’m actually less worried about it than I was a year ago.
He added: “I know this course off by heart. I’ve played it a few times now and I have fond memories of it. I remember every hole and the way I should pay it, the way it suits me. I have a plan for the whole golf course in the back of my mind.”
