The European Tour’s penultimate event of the season takes place this week in South Africa with 63 players jostling for position in the Race to Dubai.
Overall leader Bernd Wiesberger has the chance to increase his lead with closest challengers Jon Rahm and Shane Lowry missing this tournament ahead of the Dubai finale.
The field will be tested by the demanding nature of Gary Player Country Club in Sun City. The 7,827-yard par 72 requires strong driving although the length is lessened by playing at altitude.
This tough track favours consistent ball-strikers, with wayward shots punished in the thick bushes.
Louis Oosthuizen - Each Way
Louis Oosthuizen is the favourite and the popular South African can land an overdue victory in Sun City. The nine-time European Tour winner has a superb record in his homeland and looks bound to be a factor this week.
Five of his nine victories have come in the country including his most recent last December at the South African Open.
Oosthuizen also boasts an impressive set of results at this tournament and should have got his hands on the trophy 12 months ago. The 37-year-old was jostling for the lead on the final day before finishing up in third place.
The 2010 Open champion was fourth in 2012, seventh in 2014 and has been inside the top ten for the last three years.
Oosthuizen, who also won the Dimension Data Pro-Am at Sun City in 2007, comes into this week off an impressive third at the HSBC Champions and it would be a major surprise if the sweet-swinging home favourite fails to contend for ‘Africa’s major’ at 9/1.
🚨 ACE ALERT 🚨
While you were sleeping, Louis Oosthuizen made a hole-in-one during the opening round of the WGC-HSBC Champions.pic.twitter.com/YlrKiEAFYv
— Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) October 31, 2019
Kurt Kitayama - Each Way
Kurt Kitayama has been a huge breakthrough star this season and the powerful American looks close to claiming a third European Tour win.
Kitayama clinched his maiden title at the Mauritius Open at the end of last year. He proved this was no fluke by winning the Oman Open, in tough conditions, back in March. A lull followed but the fast-improving 26-year-old heads here in the most consistent form of his career.
Kitayama finished third in the Rolex Series Italian Open last month and backed it up with fourth at the Open de France.
A top 30 finish at the HSBC Champions was a solid effort before Kitayama was unlucky to miss out on the title at the Turkish Airlines Open on Sunday. A closing round of 64 earned a place in the six-man play-off won by Tyrrell Hatton, with a par on the third hole ending his chance after previously spurning a golden opportunity for victory.
Kitayama, who is 46-under-par for his last four tournaments, should go close again this week at 25/1 each way.
.@Kurt_Kitayama sets the target at 20 under par.#TurkishAirlinesOpen #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/4UWht9iwBr
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) November 10, 2019
Lee Westwood - Each Way
Lee Westwood may be heading towards the end of his career on the European Tour but the prolific champion is capable of landing another victory at one of his favourite events.
Westwood has an exceptional record at Sun City with last year’s triumph his fourth win at the course. The English golfer claimed back-to-back victories, starting in 2010, before a final round 64 last season secured his 24th European Tour title.
Westwood’s comfort level at Gary Player Country Club is clear for all to see and he also finished fifth in 2012 along with sixth in 2017 and 2004.
The 46-year-old understandably lacks the consistency he boasted at his peak but can still excel on occasions and this week is a great opportunity.
Westwood showed encouraging form last week in Turkey, shooting 16-under-par to claim a top ten finish. He also tied for fourth at the Open in the summer and his ball-striking and experience around Sun City is invaluable.
Westwood can challenge for another Sun City win at 28/1 each way.
Defending Nedbank Golf Challenge champion @WestwoodLee discusses his first steps into the game and why he still loves it today.
— GOLFTV (@GOLFTV) November 12, 2019
Romain Langasque - Each Way
Romain Langasque has been threatening a first win on the European Tour and the confident French golfer should make an impact on his Sun City debut.
Langasque has already compiled an impressive record in South Africa and the 24-year-old should be well suited to this week’s course. He finished second at this season’s South African Open and was 15th at the Alfred Dunhill Championship.
Langasque finished third at both the Made in Denmark and the Scottish Open this summer, with a breakthrough win seemingly only a matter of time. A closing round of 65 for ninth place in Turkey last weekend was encouraging and his accuracy should keep him out of trouble this week.
Langasque is ranked tenth for greens in regulation and seventh for strokes gained off the tee. Consistent ball striking is crucial around this track and Langasque’s long game assurance can push him into contention at 50/1.
Guido Migliozzi - Each Way
Guido Migliozzi was unable to land the each-way money in Turkey but the impressive Italian is worth keeping faith with again this week.
Migliozzi has been a revelation in his first season on the European Tour, landing two victories by the start of June. The 22-year-old’s maiden title is particularly significant for this week because it came at the Kenya Open – at another course played at altitude.
Migliozzi has shown a ruthlessness in contention and his form in recent weeks suggests he is close to another win. A tie for 14th in Portugal was encouraging and he shot 16-under-par for his final three rounds in Turkey to claim a share of tenth.
Migliozzi is ranked sixth for strokes gained tee to green and seventh for strokes gained on approach. With confidence enhanced again, Migliozzi can threaten the leaders on Sunday at 66/1.
