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Cape Town - South Africa boasts a proud history in the World Cup of Golf, having secured five team titles and four individual trophies.
Jaco van Zyl and George Coetzee will represent South Africa at the this year's World Cup of Golf at Kingston Heath Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia starting on Thursday.
Van Zyl, 37, and Coetzee, 30, will attempt to become the sixth South African team to win the World Cup in a 56-player / 28-team, field, which will complete over 72 holes, alternating between fourballs and foresomes.
Van Zyl and Coetzee tee off at 02:20 (SA time).
A look at SA’s history at the World Cup of Golf:
1965 - Spain
When it was known as the Canada Cup, golfing legends Gary Player and Harold Henning gave South Africa their first title in Madrid. According to Player, he nearly withdrew from the tournament, but held his nerve to secure not only a team win with Henning, but also the individual title.
1974 - Venezuela
Bobby Cole and Dale Hayes gave South Africa their second World Cup team title when they edged Japan’s Isao Aoki and Masashi Ozaki in Caracas, while Cole also won the Individual title.
1977 - Philippines
South Africa did not take any team title this year; however Gary Player won his second individual title and edged hometown favourite, the Philippines' Rudy Lavares and America’s Hubert Green, by three strokes.
1996 - South Africa
South Africans saw Ernie Els and Wayne Westner emerge victorious at Cape Town's Erinvale GC for the first time in 19 years. In addition, Els also picked up his first individual title.
2001 - Japan
Ernie Els partnered Retief Goosen to see off South Africa to their fourth team trophy, as they won a sudden-death playoff over Denmark, New Zealand and the United States of America, who had Tiger Woods among their ranks.
2003 - United States of America
South Africa's final taste of victory came at Kiawah Island when Trevor Immelman and Rory Sabbatini defeated England’s Paul Casey and Justin Rose by four strokes.
Images: Getty
