- South African golfer Dylan Frittelli returns to South Africa to compete in this week's SA Open.
- This month's event has changed venue and will be contested at Gary Player Country Club in Sun City.
- Frittelli says he wouldn't feel his career would be complete without winning his national Open.
Dylan Frittelli believes his career would be incomplete without adding his name to the coveted South African Open title.
Frittelli returns to South Africa to compete in the second oldest national Open in golf, behind the Major Open Championship.
The 30-year-old comes off a tied for fifth finish at last month's Masters, which propelled him to 70th in the world rankings.
Speaking to reporters ahead of Thursday's opening round in Sun City, Frittelli is keen to win his national Open.
"I've won on the European Tour and on the PGA Tour, and if I don't win the South African Open, it's definitely going to be something that I'll feel like I haven't accomplished in my career," he said.
Frittelli believes the fact that the South African Open is being played at the Gary Player Country Club for the first time in its history gives him one of his best opportunities to join the list of greats who have won this title.
"The South African Open is the one I want to win. I used to watch the South African Open as a kid and I remember a bunch of them. I definitely remember the duel between Ernie Els and Retief Goosen at Fancourt in 2005," he said.
"When I knew it was coming here to Sun City, I thought that was good for me because I've done well here in a few Nedbank Golf Challenges. This is also a ball striker's course which seems to favour me. So I'm really excited."
Frittelli will be looking to win his third European Tour title and maiden Sunshine Tour tournament this week at Gary Player Country Club.
"The course looks really good, and the heat's going to be a factor this week for sure. My game is feeling good. I got rid of the jetlag last week. I'm healthy and feeling fresh, so I'm really looking forward to this week."
The field includes last week's Alfred Dunhill Championship winner Christiaan Bezuidenhout, who finished second at the 2016 South African Open.
Meanwhile, former South African Open champions Branden Stone, Richard Sterne, James Kingston and Hennie Otto are also vying for more success at home.
- Compiled by Sport24 staff