Immelman, 28, won the event last year after receiving a late invitation. But less than two weeks later he had to withdraw from the South African Open because of a benign lung tumor which required surgery.
Four months later he held off Tiger Woods and the rest of the world’s top golfers at the Masters, holding or sharing the lead through all four rounds in brutally tough conditions.
He hasn’t had a win since and in recent magazine interviews admitted that he found it difficult to lift his game to the same level in the months that followed.
“There were many different things that I had to find time to deal with and learn how to handle them,” he told the South African edition of Golf Digest. “Probably for the first time in my life — and my career — I let golf slip down my priority list.”
Favorite for the US$1.2 million first prize is Spain’s Sergio Garcia, whose recent good form has lifted him to No. 2 in the world rankings.
Other strong contenders will include Henrik Stenson and Robert Karlsson, who combined to win the World Cup for Sweden in China on Sunday.
Stenson has finished second and fourth in two previous appearances at Sun City but world No. 6 Karlsson will be playing in the tournament for the first time. The 12 invited players are guaranteed a minimum of US$200,000 in prize money but this year’s field lacks some of the glamour of previous years, although eight of the world’s top 20 will be teeing up.
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