Immelman retains South African Open title

After three years, Durban Country Club returns to host the South African Airways Open as the 2005 European Tour season gets back in business following its winter break.

Durban's testing ocean-side, par-72 course will have been missed by the Tour regulars.

Every one of its well established 18 holes over 6,733 yards offers a challenge with the opening and closing fairways based on undulating dunes, though the rest are relatively flat.

The landing areas are pretty tight - the course has plenty of woodland - with water on a handful of holes.

It can also get pretty windy with stiff sea breezes testing accuracy and control of distance.

In 2002, South African Tim Clark won in Durban with a 19-under-par total.

Most neutral interest not focused on the large home entry will be on the return to action of Darren Clarke, the 2004 Ryder Cup hero from Oakland Hills, who took a premature break this winter to take care of his sick wife, Heather.

Clarke is back on Tour after caring for his sick wife

Fortunately, she has recovered sufficiently for Clarke to return to the office after two months and he should start a strong favourite.

He will donate his winnings - �86,000 is up for grabs for the new champion - to the Tsunami relief fund.

EASIEST HOLE: The par-four 18th is one of the shortest par fours in European Tour golf.

At just 273 yards it is clearly driveable for the majority of European Tour fields and even those who elect to lay up with a longish iron will face a reasonably simple pitch and putt for a birdie three.

As tournament director for the week, Mike Stewart, told Reuters Stats: "If you walk away with a five or worse here, you're devastated."

There is danger, though. Hit too far left off the tee and you're out of bounds, too far right and you're in thick scrub or bushes and dead.

Both are easy to do if the sea breezes blow up and you can even hit it out of bounds through the green if you really overdo it.

In 2002, Reuters Stats showed the hole averaged 3.49 shots a time.

HARDEST HOLE: The par-three 156-yard 12th is one of the least favourites of the pros and locals alike.

It has a plateau green with a relatively small putting surface.

Both right and left halves fall away to 20 feet drops either side leaving an extremely awkward chip back on.

It is very easy, by the way, to fluff it and find the ball back by your feet or over-cook it and watch it roll over the other side of the green.

Again, if the wind is up, watch out for some worried looking golfers.

Reuters Stats from 2002 averaged it out at 3.03 shots and Tim Clark's birdie here in the final round went some way to securing a two-shot victory ahead of Steve Webster who could only par it on all four days.