Schwartzel fancies SA chances

It has been sixteen months since a South African won a major, but Charl Schwartzel believes that wait could soon be over, with no fewer than fourteen men from the Rainbow Nation teeing it up at the Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes, starting on Thursday.

With Louis Oosthuizen losing out to Bubba Watson in a playoff for the Masters at Augusta in April, Schwartzel remains the last local player to taste major success.

Schwartzel hinted it could be young Branden Grace's - a three-time European tour winner this season - turn to win one of the big ones.

“There's a lot of South Africans playing well,” said Schwartzel on Tuesday after a practice round with George Coetzee, Grace and Oosthuizen.

“Branden obviously has had a good year, George [Coetzee] has also been playing really well, even Ernie [Els] is catching some form.