Cape Town - South Africa's Branden Grace will be hoping to defend his title at this week's Nedbank Golf Challenge at the Gary Player Country Club.

A strong field will tee it up in Sun City this week, headlined by four-time Major champion Rory McIlroy.

The Northern Irishman will make his third Rolex Series appearance of the year after the European PGA Championship and the Irish Open.

Masters champions Sergio Garcia and Charl Schwartzel, 2010 Open champion Louis Oosthuizen, Ryder Cup winning captain Thomas Bjorn and 23-time European Tour winner Lee Westwood will all take part in what is locally known as "Africa's Major".

There are 11 South Africans in the 72-player field, which is hosted by nine-time Major champion, Gary Player.

Last year, Grace won by a single stroke from Scotland's Scott Jamieson to become the first South African in a decade to win the trophy.

"We are proud of you and how you behaved as a champion and it'll be very nice to see Branden Grace on the trophy again," Player told Grace on Tuesday.

"I would love to keep it in South Africa for another year," replied Grace.

It’s tough letting go.2017 @Nedbank Golf Challenge champion @BrandenGrace returns the crystal trophy to tournament host @garyplayer ahead of the start of #NGC2018. pic.twitter.com/PsfJEqdE4P

— SunInternationalGolf (@golfatsun) November 6, 2018

Good morning from South Africa ???? ??#NGC2018 #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/bWKjiMJBLM

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) November 6, 2018