Cape Town - The 101st PGA Championship gets under way at the Black Course in Bethpage, New York on Thursday.

This year there will be NINE South Africans in the field.

The last time a South African lifted the famed Wanamaker Trophy was in 1972 when Gary Player won by two strokes for his second PGA Championship title.

Here are our 9 SA contenders:

1. Louis Oosthuizen

Age - 36

World ranking - 21

Best PGA Championship: T2 (2018)

2. Branden Grace

Age - 30

World ranking - 48

Best PGA Championship: 3 (2015)

3. Justin Harding

Age - 33

World ranking - 42

Best PGA Championship: Missed Cut (2018)

4. Dylan Frittelli

Age - 28

World ranking - 96

Best PGA Championship: T31 (2018)

5. Shaun Norris

Age - 36

World ranking - 99

Best PGA Championship: Debut

6. Erik van Rooyen 

Age - 29

World ranking - 106

Best PGA Championship: Debut

7. Charl Schwartzel

Age - 34

World ranking - 125

Best PGA Championship: T12 (2011)

8. Richard Sterne 

Age - 37

World ranking - 131

Best PGA Championship: T28

9. Brandon Stone

Age - 26

World ranking - 152

Best PGA Championship: T12 (2018)

All images: AP/Getty/Gallo