Charl Schwartzel relishing return to action

Former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel is relishing a return to action against the rising stars of South African golf after taking the longest break of his career.

Schwartzel has not played since finishing ninth in the Nedbank Golf Challenge on December 6, a week after winning the Alfred Dunhill Championship for the fourth time. South African players have won half of the six European Tour events played in Schwartzel’s absence, with Branden Grace defending his title in the Qatar Masters and 22-year-old Brandon Stone and 21-year-old Haydn Porteous winning the SA Open and Joburg Open respectively.

Speaking ahead of his debut in the Tshwane Open at Pretoria Country Club, Schwartzel told South African golf writer Michael Vlismas: “I’ve had a two-month break and I said to my wife that I’m actually itching to get my hands on my clubs again.