The South African clinched his fourth World Match Play title with a 2&1 victory over Sergio Garcia in England nine days ago.

But with a star-studded field teeing off at the East Lake Golf Club on Thursday, the world number three will have to be at his very best if he is to win his third US PGA Tour title of the year.

Among the big names in attendance are nine of the world's top 10, including Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Sergio Garcia.

"It would be great to end the season on a high note with another win," the 33-year-old Els said on his official website.

"Having had a few weeks off in the last month or so, I'm raring to go. My whole game feels in good shape at the moment."

This week's event, which offers an overall purse of $5m and a first prize of $900,000, brings together the PGA Tour's top-30 money winners.

It is also the final tournament in the tour's Fall Finish - a 12-event series that features bigger prizes and bonus awards.

Canada's Mike Weir, who has not made the top 30 this year, won the 2001 Tour Championship in a four-way play-off against David Toms, Els and Garcia in Houston.

Ten players will be making their Tour Championship debuts this week, including US PGA champion Rich Beem, South Africa's Retief Goosen and Japan's Shigeki Maruyama.

Els is looking forward to returning to the course which staged the 2000 event, won that year by Mickelson by a two-shot margin over Woods - one of only two times Tiger has not converted a third-round lead in the US.

"There's lots of history surrounding this place because it was home to the great Bobby Jones," said Els.

"It's a pretty tough par-71, with some strong par-fours - especially on the back nine.

"The thing I remember most, though, is the greens. They were unbelievably good in 2000 and there's no reason to think they won't be equally as brilliant this time."