Leopard Creek Times Alfred Dunhill Championship Daily News ROUND 1, THURSDAY 26 NOVEMBER, 2020 Pablo Larrazabal always feels at home at Leopard Creek, where he will aim to defend his Alfred Dunhill Championship title this week. PABLO HAPPY TO BE BACK IN PARADISE It is with a sense of immense gratitude that Pablo Larrazabal has arrived at a Leopard Creek course he calls paradise to defend his Alfred Dunhill Championship title. ast year, the Spaniard battled life is here. The best in nature and “It’s a privilege to be here. I think challenge many in the field are through a final round of the best golf course makes Leopard any golfer that has played here looking for. Lintense heat and severe Creek a dream place for me.” realises how special it is to be back. “The golf course is in great blisters on his way to victory in this Larrazabal is hoping to become the I’m very happy to be back and condition and I’m looking forward European Tour and Sunshine Tour third back-to-back winner of this hopefully I can join Branden in that to it,” said Scotland’s most recent co-sanctioned tournament. This championship after fellow Spaniard elite group,” he said. European Tour champion, Robert year, he’s well aware of the greater Pablo Martin and South Africa’s The South African challenge is a MacIntyre. challenge out there, and that to Charl Schwartzel. strong one, including Joburg Open “It’s a tough test of golf. That’s one simply be able to play tournament But he faces a field equally in awe runner-up Wilco Nienaber, recent of the reasons I travelled out here golf in this spectacular setting is a of this iconic golf course that European Tour winners Garrick to play in this event. This is just a victory in itself. shares this environment with the Higgo and George Coetzee, 2020 great golf course, and it’s one of “We are fortunate as golfers to be untamed wilderness of the Kruger Masters debutant Christiaan those weeks that if you knuckle able to come to places such as this National Park, and equally Bezuidenhout, and former Alfred down and if you play well you’re at the end of this year. We are so determined to make the most of it. Dunhill Championship winner going to be right in there.” lucky. It doesn’t matter how well we Denmark’s Lucas Bjerregaard is Brandon Stone. play this week, it’s still the best week seeking a place in Alfred Dunhill “You know, you drive through the of the year. It’s a dream to come golf history as only the second gates here and arrive at what feels here and play the game of golf,” he player after Branden Grace to like the cradle of golf. You’re just said. possibly do the double of winning filled with awe and inspiration for “It was special the way everything the Alfred Dunhill Links the week ahead,” said Stone. happened last year in this place that Championship and the Alfred The Leopard Creek course is I call paradise. Everything I love in Dunhill Championship. certainly set to provide exactly the Photographs courtesy of Getty Images, Grant Leversha, Carl Fourie, Perfect Exposure @dunhilllinks @alfreddunhilllinks ELS SAD TO MISS ALFRED DUNHILL CHAMPIONSHIP BJERREGAARD SEEKING PLACE IN ALFRED DUNHILL HISTORY Ernie Els. Lucas Bjerregaard. rnie Els has expressed his deep having been a member at Leopard regret at not being able to Creek for so many years. Everything enmark’s Lucas Bjerre- to have ever won both of these no exception. crocodiles in the background.” Emake it back to South Africa to about that place is just so special. gaard will seek to become titles. Grace achieved this in 2012 “Leopard Creek is so unique. I’ve A victory at Leopard Creek would play in the Alfred Dunhill “We’ve got unbelievable scenery in the Donly the second golfer in and 2014. never played a course quite like it. also be a first for Danish golf. Bjer- Championship at a Leopard Creek golf game of golf worldwide. You can go history to win both the Alfred “They are two very special events I’m always amazed when I’m there regaard was the second Danish course he says has no equal in the to Pebble Beach and Cypress Point, Dunhill Links Championship and in their own way, and played on as to how Gary Player and Johann golfer to win the Alfred Dunhill world of golf. Long Island, Montana, St Andrews in its sister tournament the Alfred very special courses. So of course Rupert could even imagine a golf Links Championship, but a Danish “There is just nothing like Leopard Scotland, England and the Dover Dunhill Championship. I’m really excited about going to course like that in those surround- golfer has yet to triumph in the Creek in the whole world of golf,” said coast, you can go anywhere in the Bjerregaard won the Alfred Leopard Creek, and hopefully I can ings. I think anyone that has ever Alfred Dunhill Championship. The Els, a former winner of the Alfred world and find beautiful golf scenery. Dunhill Links Championship in St join Branden in winning both of had the privilege of playing closest they have come is two Dunhill Championship. But there’s only one Africa. Andrews in Scotland in 2018 to them,” said Bjerregaard. Leopard Creek has been amazed runner-up finishes by Anders The four-time Major champion said “Leopard Creek on the banks of the claim his second European Tour The professionals’ appreciation for standing on the 13th green (which Hansen and Thorbjørn Olesen. the challenges around international Crocodile River and overlooking the title. A win at Leopard Creek will Leopard Creek as one of the most overlooks the Kruger National “Any win at Leopard Creek would travel at present and his playing Kruger National Park – just thinking see him join South Africa’s special tournament venues in world Park). It’s pretty special putting be special. We’re so blessed to play commitments in America have made it about it I get this image in my mind of Branden Grace as the only players golf is universal, and Bjerregaard is with rhinos, elephants and such a unique course so it would difficult for him to return to South how beautiful it is with the views and obviously mean a lot to Africa for this year’s tournament. the animals. The golf course, the me,” said Bjerregaard. “I wish I could be there, but my next practice facilities and everything about Apart from a place in event on the PGA Tour Champions the place is world class. Then you go to golf history, Bjerregaard and on the PGA Tour will be in Hawaii the Recreation Centre there and you has another incentive to and if I can’t get back to America I’ll don’t want to leave. You just want to sit come to South Africa. be stuck for some time,” Els said. there all day and watch the river and “I can’t lie. I love the “I’m really going to miss the Alfred the animals. It’s just a phenomenal food in South Africa. Dunhill Championship, especially place.” We always get treated so well in South Africa and I’ve met a lot of great “I’m really going to miss the Alfred Dunhill people while being there. I’ve been on a few Championship, especially having been a amazing safaris there member at Leopard Creek for so many years. and I try to go as much as I can. It’s always Everything about that place is just so special." amazing seeing all these animals.” 2 3 A new tournament week brings with it new challenges for the professionals. Justin Walters with a few chip shots in front of the most unique gallery in golf. Alvaro Quiros: From his victory here in 2006 A few interesting fans sometimes listen in on the player interviews at Leopard Creek. to this year’s tournament, Alvaro Quiros always enjoys his time at Leopard Creek. A pro-am pause to take in the beauty of the Kruger National Park. 4 5 THE “BIG 5” CHAMPS ARE BACK he Alfred Dunhill Championship will African Open to launch his European Tour Creek as the winner of the 2004 Alfred Dunhill have its own “Big 5” in the field this career. Championship in January of that year, and Tyear with five of the former champions Richard Sterne returns as the 2008 champion following what is also still the longest playoff in of this prestigious Sunshine Tour and European and also the runner-up in 2016. A victory for the history of the tournament as he battled for Tour co-sanctioned tournament in the field. him would make him only the third player after three extra holes against the French duo of Defending champion Pablo Larrazabal of Spain Charl Schwartzel and Pablo Martin to have won Gregory Havret and Raphael Jacquelin. returns following his dramatic 2019 victory in the Alfred Dunhill Championship multiple This year’s Alfred Dunhill Championship boasts which he battled the intense heat and blisters times. the biggest purse on the Sunshine Tour of and birdied the treacherous 18th to win. Alvaro Quiros is back as the 2006 champion and R29 million and it anchors a strong run of three He will be joined by 2016 champion Brandon as also the third Spaniard to have won this title European Tour co-sanctioned tournaments in Stone, who won the title in what was a breakout alongside Larrazabal and Martin.