Paul McGinley, Eamonn Darcy and John McHenry are the only Irish players entered for the opening tournament of the new European Tour, the £400,000 South African PGA Championship, which starts today in Johannesburg.
It is also the first event in the main section of the South African Tour.
While the top three on the European money list - Colin Montgomerie, Darren Clarke and Lee Westwood - have been able to extend their Christmas break with their Ryder Cup places virtually assured, eight of the top 20 are in the field.
They are Patrick Sjoland (5), Ernie Els (8), Mathias Gronberg (10), Stephen Leaney (11), Peter Baker (17), former title holder Sven Struver (13), Phillip Price (15) and David Carter (19).
The local challenge will be led by Els, second in this event last year and winner of the South African Open on this course in 1992, a victory which launched his international career.
Els had a disappointing 1998. He won twice early in the year but recurring back problems saw him struggling to find his best form.
Defending champion Tony Johnstone had a dreadful year in Europe, missing 13 cuts and battling with his game.
But he has had new shafts fitted to his clubs and says his form started coming back at the World Cup where he finished with a level-par total to help Zimbabwe into sixth place.
Others likely to come into contention are Retief Goosen and David Frost who, with Els, successfully defended the Alfred Dunhill Cup at St Andrews in October, and Zimbabwe's Mark McNulty.
The Houghton course, a parkland layout in one of Johannesburg's plushest suburbs, has been toughened up for the occasion with the fairways narrowed, holes lengthened with a number of new tees built, and the rough thick and clingy after recent heavy rains.
"The cut was four under par last year but I'm pretty sure it won't be anywhere near that this year," said Els.
"The course is playing a lot longer, and with all the rain they've had here the rough is terrifying. I think it's going to be the two wood and four wood off the tee for me."
Nick Faldo insists he is not playing this week just to try to pick up some early-year Ryder Cup points.
"I'm here to win the tournament," insisted the former world number one, who is looking for a better year after a wretched 1998.
Faldo was beset with off-course problems last year, which saw him split with girlfriend Brenna Cepelak and long-standing coach David Leadbetter.
Now, with new coach Chip Koehlke and a new swing, a happier Faldo vowed: "Golf is now my number one priority in 1999. I've got to get my head down again."
Faldo said his game had started to come right towards the end of last year when he and Carter won the World Cup of Golf for England and he finished second in the individual event.
"Then I was fourth in the Australian Open straight after that," he said. "I felt I was really flying at that stage and was sorry the year had to come to an end.
"That's why I'm here in South Africa so early in the year when some of the other big names from Europe are back at home. I want to keep the momentum going."
Faldo stressed he was not in South Africa to maintain his position in the top 64 in the world rankings - he is 57th - to make sure he is in the field for next month's inaugural World Golf Championship Andersen Consulting Matchplay.
