The triple South African Open champion Ernie Els gave up a chance for a practice round on the tough course before this year's tournament - because he knows that a man's best friend is his dog. But in world number five golfer Els' case, make that dogs, for he has his hands full with a Great Dane, Labrador and cocker spaniel.

Nicknamed "the Big Easy'` because of his laid-back approach to life, Els has made a great start to 1999 and his avowed aim of regaining the world number one slot from Tiger Woods.

Last Sunday Els won the Alfred Dunhill PGA at Houghton, and the field starting out at Stellenbosch Golf Club today know that the course will have to throw up something special to get the better him.

As he prepared to set out in defence of the title he won last year at Durban Country Club, Els said: "I've got some momentum going now and I want to keep it going. It's always special to win your national Open and I shall be trying my hardest."

Els, who won by four shots last week despite being in mediocre form on the greens, extended a short break at his Herold's Bay home in George, because he was reluctant to leave his pets.

Els said: "I won't be home again until May, or perhaps August, so I decided to forget a planned practice round yesterday and stay on a little while longer. It was a nice break, and Houghton feels like it happened a month ago, rather than a couple of days."

Meanwhile, Els is happy with his swing and is confident of a good showing.

Top players have flown in to South Africa since Houghton to add to the challenge, and among them are Germany's Bernhard Langer, Welsh ace Ian Woosnam and Scotland's Sam Torrance. Paul McGinley and John McHenry are the only Irish challengers.

Langer warned: "If Ernie is playing well he's very hard to catch. He is long off the tee and hits it straight, and he's got a tremendous short game, with a great touch around the greens."

Other overseas players hoping to challenge this week include Nick Faldo, who missed the cut at Houghton and is keen to start collecting Ryder Cup points ahead of this year's Europe-US clash in Boston.

The local challenge is expected to come from old hands such as David Frost, a winner of the South African Masters on this course and a strong finisher at Houghton, and Mark McNulty, a master of tight courses.

But they all know that the man they have to beat is Els...if they want to become top dog.