“Look, there isn’t much rough on the course, but you’re going to have to manage your game well – course management is key,” said the 37-year-old.

“I love coming out here and I’m looking forward to putting some of the things I’ve been working on into practice.

“I’ve been putting a lot into my mental approach – especially around the greens – and I believe I’m starting to get results. Hopefully I’ll produce something good this week.”

Englishman David Dixon, who finished 27th on the Challenge Tour but recently picked up his European Tour card by taking seventh place at qualifying school, was also looking forward to a good tournament.

He said: “Well, I like the course, but I hope this heat dies down a bit!”

Dixon’s fellow countryman Neil Cheetham finished second at this event last year, while another Englishman Oliver Whiteley was joint third.

Cheetham said: “I did fantastically well last year. I love coming back to the wildlife and great golf. Hopefully it will inspire something good with my golf as well.”

World number five Ernie Els, who has been sidelined from golf for over five months because of an injury to his left knee, was upbeat about playing in his home country.

He made a comeback to competitive golf in the Nedbank Golf Challenge at Sun City which finished on Sunday, but was still feeling the effects of the injury.

“You can do as much gym training and physiotherapy as you like, but you still have to go out there and walk the course,” he said.

“The swing itself is not that damaging to my knee. I just have to look after the swelling.

“Leopard Creek is really good right now – even better than last year,” he added.

“We’ve had a bit of rain so it’s playing quite long but there isn’t a lot of rough so we’ll see a winning score lower than last year.”

Other European players include Englishmen Mark Foster and David Carter, Scotland’s Andrew Coltart and Gregory Havret of France.

South African Charl Schwartzel will defend his 2005 dunhill championship title.