Can Garth Mulroy defend his title at the Alfred Dunhill Championship?
Garth Mulroy returns to his favorite course to defend his title, Alfred Dunhill Championship. Mulroy is coming off from a decent performance at the Nelson Mandela Championship.
He finished T21 at Royal Durban Course. It was a decent performance considering the conditions all around.
Mulroy has had an average 2012 season. Although he could not record any victories, he played some decent golf.
On Thursday, he will take to one of his favorite courses in a bid to successfully defend his title which he won in 2011. The South African also hopes that the course will inspire him to glory once again.
“I hope it can inspire me again. It’s always nice to go back to a place where you have played well or won in the past is a good feeling arriving there”.
His win last year was very huge considering the fact he was playing against a very strong field. Apart from that, playing in front of home crowd is never easy as people expect big things.
“It was a huge win for me last year,” said the 34 year old.
“Anytime you win is great but as a South African you don’t play too many events that are co-sanctioned with The European Tour, so it was nice to win one of those and especially at just the right time because it locked up the Order of Merit win on the Sunshine
Tour and gave me status in Europe for 2012”.
Garth will need to start off quickly at the Malelane Venue in a bid to defend his title. This will not only ease up his nerves but it will also allow him to take early ascendency in the tournament.
Winning this time around will not be easy either, as he will have fellow South Africans such as Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen right behind him.
Both Oosthuizen and Schwartzel are coming off from a decent 2012 season and they will be looking to start their season strongly, that too, in front of their home crowd.
In 2011, Mulroy’s eight-under, 64 brought him right in contention and he will need to shoot such rounds this time as well to have any chance of defending his title.
Surely, he does posses the skill to fend off challenges from the likes of Schwartzel and Oosthuizen. If, however, he fails to control his nerves, then it will give him some problems.
There are numerous other golfers, such as Branden Grace, who are coming off from a magnificent season. However, if Mulroy just focuses on his game and score some low rounds, then, definitely, he will be able to defend his title.
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