Change to SA World Cup pair

Somerset West - Branden Grace and George Coetzee will represent South Africa in the ISPS Handa World Cup of Golf at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Australia from November 20-24, 2013.

Coetzee comes into the team for Richard Sterne, who, together with South Africa’s other top-ranked players Charl Schwartzel, Ernie Els and Louis Oosthuizen was not available.

It means both players will be missing from the South African Open Championship being played at Glendower Golf Club from November 21-24.

“It’s a real honour to be able to represent my country in the World Cup and the fact that I can play with a great friend in George (Coetzee) will make it even more enjoyable,” said Grace.

“With the format being the way it is, it gives us the chance to gain some experience for the Olympics in 2016 which hopefully we can both qualify for too.

“It’s such a shame to miss my national Open which is on during the same week, but this is an opportunity that I just couldn’t pass up,” he added.

Coetzee said, “I am delighted to be representing my country in the World Cup of Golf later this month in Australia and whilst of course disappointed to miss the South African Open on this occasion, I am extremely proud to play for my country and really looking forward to the challenge.”

Grace, 25, and Coetzee, 27, will attempt to become the sixth South African team to win the World Cup, following in the footsteps of Gary Player and Harold Henning in 1965, Bobby Cole and Dale Hayes in 1974, Ernie Els and Wayne Westner on home soil at Erinvale in 1996, Els and Retief Goosen in 2001, and Trevor Immelman and Rory Sabbatini in 2003.

The defending champions are the United States, who won the title in China in 2011 at the Mission Hills Resort on Hainan Island with Matt Kuchar and Gary Woodland representing them. Kuchar returns to the event in 2013, with his playing partner this time Kevin Streelman.