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Cape Town - The 147th Open Championship gets under way at Carnoustie Golf Club in Scotland on Thursday.
This year there will be 12 South Africans in the field.
The last time a South African lifted the famed Claret Jug was in 2012 when Ernie Els won by single stroke at Royal Lytham & St Annes.
Here are our 12 contenders and how they qualified:
1. Ernie Els
Age - 48
World ranking - 774
Best Open - Win (2002, 2012)
How he qualified - Open winners aged 60 or under
2. Louis Oosthuizen
Age - 35
World ranking - 32
Best Open - Win (2010)
How he qualified - Open winner aged 60 or under, Top 50 player on the OWGR, member of the 2017 Presidents Cup team
3. Branden Grace
Age - 30
World ranking - 35
Best Open - T6
How he qualified - Top 10 finish in the 2017 Open Championship, Top 50 player on the OWGR, member of the 2017 Presidents Cup team
4. Charl Schwartzel
Age - 33
World ranking - 46
Best Open - T7
How he qualified - Top 50 player on the OWGR, top 30 on the 2017 Race to Dubai, member of the 2017 Presidents Cup team
5. Dylan Frittelli
Age - 28
World ranking - 58
Best Open - Missed cut in 2017
How he qualified - Top 30 on the 2017 Race to Dubai
6. Retief Goosen
Age - 49
World ranking - 309
Best Open - T5
How he qualified - Final Open Championship Qualifying Series at Prince's
7. George Coetzee
Age - 32
World ranking - 113
Best Open - 15
How he qualified - Winner of the 2017/18 Sunshine Tour Order of Merit
8. Erik van Rooyen
Age - 28
World ranking - 144
Best Open - Debut
How he qualified - Open Qualifying Series - European Tour's Joburg Open
9. Brandon Stone
Age - 25
World ranking - 110
Best Open - T70
How he qualified - Open Qualifying Series - European Tour's Scottish Open
10. Zander Lombard
Age - 23
World ranking - 444
Best Open - T66
How he qualified - Open Qualifying Series - European Tour's Irish Open
11. Shaun Norris
Age - 36
World ranking - 125
Best Open - T62
How he qualified - Open Qualifying Series - European Tour's Joburg Open
12. Jovan Rebula
Age - 20
World ranking - 2036 (Amateur)
Best Open - Debut
How he qualified - Winner of the 2018 Amateur Championship
All images: Getty/Gallo
TEE TIMES:
THURSDAY, JULY 19
All times SA
07:35 - Martin Kaymer (GER), Sandy Lyle, Andy Sullivan
07:46 - Erik Van Rooyen (RSA), Brady Schnell (USA), Matthew Southgate
07:57 - Danny Willett, Emiliano Grillo (ARG), Luke List (USA)
08:08 - Danthai Boonma (THA), Mark Calcavecchia (USA), Shaun Norris (RSA)
08:19 - Kevin Chappell (USA), Oliver Wilson, Eddie Pepperell
08:30 - Paul Dunne, Ross Fisher, Austin Cook (USA)
08:41 - Patrick Cantlay (USA), Tyrrell Hatton, Shane Lowry
08:52 - Thomas Pieters (BEL), Kevin Kisner (USA), Marcus Kinhult (SWE)
09:03 - Satoshi Kodaira (JPN), Phil Mickelson (USA), Rafael Cabrera-Bello (ESP)
09:14 - Brian Harman (USA), Yuta Ikeda (JPN), Andrew Landry (USA)
09:25 - Kim Si-Woo (KOR), Webb Simpson (USA), Nicolai Hojgaard (a) (DEN)
09:36 - Stewart Cink (USA), Brandon Stone (RSA), Hideto Tanihara (JPN)
09:47 - Gary Woodland (USA), Yusaku Miyazato (JPN), Kang Sung (KOR)
10:03 - Adam Hadwin (CAN), Ernie Els (RSA), Chesson Hadley (USA)
10:14 - Pat Perez (USA), Julian Suri (USA), George Coetzee (RSA)
10:25 - David Duval (USA), Scott Jamieson, Kevin Na (USA)
10:36 - Bernhard Langer (GER), Darren Clarke, Retief Goosen (RSA)
10:47 - Matt Kuchar (USA), Anirban Lahiri (IND), Peter Uihlein (USA)
10:58 - Justin Rose, Jordan Spieth (USA), Kiradech Aphibarnrat (THA)
11:09 - Rickie Fowler (USA), Jon Rahm (ESP), Chris Wood
11:20 - Louis Oosthuizen (RSA), Paul Casey, Patrick Reed (USA)
11:31 - Xander Schauffele (USA), Tony Finau (USA), Jhonattan Vegas (VEN)
11:42 - Lin Yuxin (a) (CHN), Alexander Bjork (SWE), Park Sang-Hyun (KOR)
11:53 - James Robinson, Haraldur Magnus (ISL), Zander Lombard (RSA)
12:04 - Kodai Ichihara (JPN), Rhys Enoch, Marcus Armitage
12:15 - Gavin Green (MLT), Sean Crocker (USA), Ash Turner
12:36 - Sam Locke (a), Brandt Snedeker (USA), Cameron Davis (AUS)
12:47 - Patton Kizzire (USA), Jonas Blixt (SWE), Charles Howell III (USA)
12:58 - Charl Schwartzel (RSA), Daniel Berger (USA), Tom Lewis
13:09 - Ryan Moore (USA), Alexander Levy (FRA), An Byeong-Hun (KOR)
13:20 - Michael Hendry (NZL), Kelly Kraft (USA), Lee Westwood
13:31 - Tommy Fleetwood, Henrik Stenson (SWE), Jimmy Walker (USA)
13:42 - Russell Henley (USA), Matthew Fitzpatrick, (a) Jovan Rebula (RSA)
13:53 - Rory McIlroy, Marc Leishman (AUS), Thorbjorn Olesen (DEN)
14:04 - Alex Noren (SWE), Dustin Johnson (USA), Charley Hoffman (USA)
14:15 - Zach Johnson (USA), Adam Scott (AUS), Brendan Steele (USA)
14:26 - Justin Thomas (USA), Francesco Molinari (ITA), Branden Grace (RSA)
14:37 - Jason Day (AUS), Shota Akiyoshi (JPN), Li Haotong (CHN)
14:48 - Beau Hossler (USA), Todd Hamilton (USA), Jorge Campillo (ESP)
15:04 - Chez Reavie (USA), Ryuko Tokimatsu (JPN), Michael Kim (USA)
15:15 - Kyle Stanley (USA), Nicolas Colsaerts (BEL), Jens Dantorp (SWE)
15:26 - Dylan Frittelli (RSA), Tom Lehman (USA), Grant Forrest
15:37 - Lucas Herbert (AUS), Jason Kokrak (USA), Choi Min-Chel (KOR)
15:48 - Padraig Harrington, Matt Wallace, Bubba Watson (USA)
15:59 - Cameron Smith (AUS), Brooks Koepka (USA), Ian Poulter
16:10 - Sergio Garcia (ESP), Shubhankar Sharma (IND), Bryson DeChambeau (USA)
16:21 - Hideki Matsuyama (JPN), Russell Knox, Tiger Woods (USA)
16:32 - Jason Dufner (USA), Keegan Bradley (USA), Ryan Fox (NZL)
16:43 - Abraham Ancer (MEX), Masahiro Kawamura (JPN), Ryan Armour (USA)
16:54 - Jazz Janewattananond (THA), Fabrizio Zanotti (PAR), Jordan Smith
17:05 - Masanori Kobayashi (JPN), Jack Senior, Brett Rumford (AUS)
17:16 - Thomas Curtis, Bronson Burgoon (USA), Matt Jones (AUS)
FRIDAY, JULY 20
07:35 - Sam Locke (a), Brandt Snedeker (USA), Cameron Davis (AUS)
07:46 - Patton Kizzire (USA), Jonas Blixt (SWE), Charles Howell III (USA)
07:57 - Charl Schwartzel (RSA), Daniel Berger (USA), Tom Lewis
08:08 - Ryan Moore (USA), Alexander Levy (FRA), An Byeong-Hun (KOR)
08:19 - Michael Hendry (NZL), Kelly Kraft (USA), Lee Westwood
08:30 - Tommy Fleetwood, Henrik Stenson (SWE), Jimmy Walker (USA)
08:41 - Russell Henley (USA), Matthew Fitzpatrick, (a) Jovan Rebula (RSA)
08:52 - Rory McIlroy, Marc Leishman (Aus), Thorbjorn Olesen (DEN)
09:03 - Alex Noren (SWE), Dustin Johnson (USA), Charley Hoffman (USA)
09:14 - Zach Johnson (USA), Adam Scott (AUS), Brendan Steele (USA)
09:25 - Justin Thomas (USA), Francesco Molinari (ITA), Branden Grace (RSA)
09:36 - Jason Day (AUS), Shota Akiyoshi (JPN), Li Haotong (CHN)
09:47 - Todd Hamilton (USA), Beau Hossler (USA), Jorge Campillo (ESP)
10:03 - Chez Reavie (USA), Ryuko Tokimatsu (JPN), Michael Kim (USA)
10:14 - Kyle Stanley (USA), Nicolas Colsaerts (BEL), Jens Dantorp (SWE)
10:25 - Tom Lehman (USA), Dylan Frittelli (RSA), Grant Forrest
10:36 - Chel-Choi Min (KOR), Lucas Herbert (AUS), Jason Kokrak (USA)
10:47 - Padraig Harrington, Bubba Watson (USA), Matt Wallace
10:58 - Cameron Smith (AUS), Ian Poulter, Brooks Koepka (USA)
11:09 - Bryson DeChambeau (USA), Sergio Garcia (ESP), Shubhankar Sharma (IND)
11:20 - Tiger Woods (USA), Hideki Matsuyama (JPN), Russell Knox
11:31 - Ryan Fox (NZL), Jason Dufner (USA), Keegan Bradley (USA)
11:42 - Ryan Armour (USA), Abraham Ancer (MEX), Masahiro Kawamura (JPN)
11:53 - Jazz Janewattananond (THA), Fabrizio Zanotti (PAR), Jordan Smith
12:04 - Brett Rumford (AUS), Masanori Kobayashi (JPN), Jack Senior
12:15 - Thomas Curtis, Matt Jones (AUS), Bronson Burgoon (USA)
12:36 - Martin Kaymer (GER), Sandy Lyle, Andy Sullivan
12:47 - Erik Van Rooyen (RSA), Brady Schnell (USA), Matthew Southgate
12:58 - Danny Willett, Emiliano Grillo (ARG), Luke List (USA)
13:09 - Danthai Boonma (THA), Mark Calcavecchia (USA), Shaun Norris (RSA)
13:20 - Kevin Chappell (USA), Oliver Wilson, Eddie Pepperell
13:31 - Paul Dunne, Ross Fisher, Austin Cook (USA)
13:42 - Patrick Cantlay (USA), Tyrrell Hatton, Shane Lowry
13:53 - Thomas Pieters (BEL), Kevin Kisner (USA), Marcus Kinhult (SWE)
14:04 - Satoshi Kodaira (JPN), Phil Mickelson (USA), Rafael Cabrera-Bello (ESP)
14:15 - Brian Harman (USA), Yuta Ikeda (JPN), Andrew Landry (USA)
14:26 - Kim Si-Woo (KOR), Webb Simpson (USA), Nicolai Hojgaard (a) (DEN)
14:37 - Stewart Cink (USA), Brandon Stone (RSA), Hideto Tanihara (JPN)
14:48 - Yusaku Miyazato (JPN), Gary Woodland (USA), Kang Sung (KOR)
15:04 - Adam Hadwin (CAN), Ernie Els (RSA), Chesson Hadley (USA)
15:15 - Pat Perez (USA), Julian Suri (USA), George Coetzee (RSA)
15:26 - Scott Jamieson, David Duval (USA), Kevin Na (USA)
15:37 - Darren Clarke, Bernhard Langer (GER), Retief Goosen (RSA)
15:48 - Matt Kuchar (USA), Anirban Lahiri (IND), Peter Uihlein (USA)
15:59 - Jordan Spieth (USA), Justin Rose, Kiradech Aphibarnrat (THA)
16:10 - Jon Rahm (ESP), Rickie Fowler (USA), Chris Wood
16:21 - Paul Casey, Louis Oosthuizen (RSA), Patrick Reed (USA)
16:32 - Tony Finau (USA), Xander Schauffele (USA), Jhonattan Vegas (VEN)
16:43 - Alexander Bjork (SWE), Lin Yuxin (a) (CHN), Park Sang-Hyun (KOR)
16:54 - James Robinson, Haraldur Magnus (ISL), Zander Lombard (RSA)
17:05 - Kodai Ichihara (JPN), Rhys Enoch, Marcus Armitage
17:16 - Sean Crocker (USA), Gavin Green (MLT), Ash Turner
