Sun City Challenge:World number two Jim Furyk hopes to round off his best year as a professional golfer by retaining his Sun City Golf Challenge title, which starts today.

Furyk, who triumphed in a four-man play-off to take last year's event, has enjoyed an exceptional 2006. He finished second on the US PGA Tour money-list with over $7 million, won two titles and had seven other top three finishes.

"At this time of year we're thinking about getting some rest and gearing up for next year, but it's good to be back where I played well at the end of last year," Furyk said. "This year was then very good, probably my best to date."

Among the American's challengers will be Padraig Harrington, who, should he win, can propel himself to a career-high fifth in the world rankings. The Dubliner is currently ranked eighth and his highest previous was sixth, which he achieved after winning the Dunhill Links championship in 2002.

There is a record number of South Africans competing in this year's event with world number five Retief Goosen and number seven Ernie Els joined by debutants Trevor Immelman and Charl Schwartzel.

Chris diMarco is the only other American in the field apart from Furyk, while Spaniards Sergio Garcia and Jose-Maria Olazabal, David Howell and Colin Montgomerie from Britain, Swede Henrik Stenson are also competing.

Furyk, who registered a six-under-par 288 last year, thought scoring would be lower this time around as long as the greens remained receptive.

"The greens are not as firm as last year and that will dictate the scoring. If they continue to hold up then the scores will be better," he said. "But courses tend to change very quickly come Thursday and the greens tend to firm up quite quickly here. If they continue to firm up then the scores could be as high as last year, especially since the rough is very thick."

Els, meanwhile, will be hoping a return to his native country can inspire him to play his way out of his recent slump. He has slipped to seventh in the world rankings during a relatively barren period for him since he injured his knee in a water sports accident in July last year and underwent surgery.

His only win in that time came at the Dunhill Championship in South Africa - the European Tour title he defends next week.

TeeTimes

9.10: C Montgomerie (Sco), P Harrington (Ire)

9.22: T Immelman (Rsa), D Howell (Brit)

9.34: H Stenson (Swe), J-M Olazabal (Spa)

9.46: C Schwartzel (Rsa), E Els (Rsa)

9.58: C DiMarco (USA), S Garcia (Spa)

10.10: J Furyk (USA), R Goosen (Rsa)

On TV: Setanta Sports