Johannesburg - Sunshine Tour executive director Selwyn Nathan is hoping to have Dylan Frittelli join Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel and Branden Grace at this year’s Presidents Cup.
“With four weeks to go before tee off, we are hopeful that Dylan will play well and be the captain’s pick. His game is impressive and we hope he makes the squad,” said Nathan.
He said it would be great to see other South African golfers qualify to compete at the event.
The tournament – which pits a team made up of golfers from the rest of the world, excluding Europe, against those from the US – will be played at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City in the US from September 28 to October 1.
The international team will feature players who are ranked in the top 10, plus two captain’s picks to make a 12-man team.
The US team will have the same number of contestants.
Oosthuizen is placed fourth in the rankings for the current side, with Schwartzel and Grace lying fifth and seventh, respectively.
The 27-year-old Frittelli is positioned 18th on the rung and needs to push himself six spots up to become eligible to be roped in as a rookie.
Oosthuizen, Grace and Schwartzel qualified for the two previous editions.
Schwartzel was a newcomer at the 2011 showdown, during which he competed alongside Ernie Els and Retief Goosen.
It will be interesting to see Frittelli become the fourth South African player at this year’s contest – if he breaks into the squad, that is.
Frittelli claimed his maiden European Tour victory by one shot after a tense finish at the Lyoness Open in Austria in June.
The Johannesburg-born golfer produced a fine finish to his round at the end of an absorbing final day, pulling clear of a clutch of players to finish on 12-under par.
Frittelli won twice at the Challenge Tour, which is the European Tour’s second tier for male professional golfers.