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Ernie Els confirms entry to Dunhill Championship

Ernie Els will attempt to make Alfred Dunhill Championship history by becoming the first double winner of the Sunshine Tour and European Tour co-sanctioned tournament at the Leopard Creek golf course in December.

Els will return to South African fairways at the end of a successful international season in which he won a record seventh World Match Play title, challenged for the European Tour's Order of Merit crown, finished fourth in The Open Championship and third in the PGA Championship, and recorded nine top ten finishes worldwide.

Ireland's Darren Clarke has also confirmed his participation in then championship at Leopard Creek from December 6-9, which is the first of the three European Tour co-sanctioned tournaments on the Sunshine Tour.

Former Alfred Dunhill Championship winner Charl Schwartzel, the winner of a record three consecutive Sunshine Tour Order of Merit titles over the past three seasons, is also expected to be in a field that will include a selection of the leading players from both the European and Sunshine Tours.

But Els stands out as the clear favourite to add to his Alfred Dunhill Championship victory in 2005 on a course where he has a home and where he hasn't finished outside the top ten in the last three years that the championship has been played at Leopard Creek.

Leopard Creek, located near Malelane on the banks of the Crocodile River and overlooking the Kruger National Park, has certainly been a stronghold for the South African contingent in this championship.

In 2004 Schwartzel claimed the title while Els finished tied third. In 2005 Els won in only his second tournament back following a lengthy injury layoff, with Schwartzel tied second. And in 2006 Spain's Alvaro Quiros claimed his maiden professional victory in the championship, with Schwartzel again runner up and Els finishing tied eighth.

The early list of tournament entries also includes South Africans James Kamte, Ulrich van den Berg, Thomas Aiken and Alan McLean, all of whom recently qualified for the European Tour and will take up their new membership on home soil as the Alfred Dunhill Championship forms part of the tour's 2008 season. - Sapa

November 27, 2007