SUN CITY, South Africa, 27 November 2003 — Fiji’s Vijay Singh and local favorite Ernie Els will line up today for this year’s Sun City Challenge with a smaller winner’s fee, but a field enlarged from 12 to 18 players.

But world No. 1, American Tiger Woods, as well as compatriots Jim Furyk and Davis Love III, have opted to stay away from the challenge at the Gary Player Country Club.

It is situated at the luxury casino resort of Sun City, 180 kilometers (110 miles) northwest of Johannesburg.

Els, who topped the European Tour Order of Merit this year, will be aiming to make it four tournaments in five years — he lost in a sudden-death playoff against Sergio Garcia of Spain in 2001.

Last year Els closed with a 63 for 267 to win by eight from Scotland’s Colin Montgomerie on 275. His last 28 rounds here have all been under par, shooting a combined 118 under.

Having won seven tournaments this year, more than Woods or Singh who are ahead of him in the rankings, the “Big Easy” said he was determined to end 2003 with another win.

“I do feel I’ve had a great year, but I’m not going to sit back and relax. It’s just not the way I am,” he said.

“Every time I tee up in a tournament, I tee up to win.”

This year, players will be shooting for a total of $1.2 million, as opposed to two million in previous years, but tournament director Alastair Roper said it allowed organizers to broaden the field and spread the rest of the winnings more evenly.

He said South Africa’s inaugural Presidents Cup, which ended in a draw between an international and American team on Sunday, also gave organizers an opportunity to invite some of the world’s top players to Sun City.

“The logic behind this is that we had a whole bunch of great golfers in South Africa last week for the Presidents Cup,” Roper said.

“Many of those came halfway across the world to get here. So we figured it would make sense to ask them to stay on and play for some good money at Sun City, and most agreed.”

The runner-up will get $500,000 and third place will receive $400,000, while at the bottom end, the last placed player will receive $75,000.