Stewart prepares to share stage with Els

The pairing is the 21-year-old Troon golfer’s reward for winning the South African amateur title back in March.

In June he lost the final of the British amateur championship to Australian Bryden Macpherson and so just missed out on a place in the Open and US Masters.

Two months ago he was part of Britain and Ireland’s winning Walker Cup side against the Americans, but then his attempt to earn a European Tour card for next season ended at the first stage of qualifying.

Els is back from the Presidents Cup in Melbourne, where he won only one of his five games in the 19-15 defeat.

The 42-year-old first won his national title in 1992 and got his hands on the trophy once more four years later, then in 1998 after it became part of the European Tour schedule and then again in 2007 and last December.

“Winning last year at Durban in the tournament’s centenary year was one of the highlights of my career,” said Els in his website diary.

“The final round battle with my old friend Retief (Goosen) was one of the most incredible days I’ve had as a professional.”

Goosen is back from Australia for the event as well, having just fallen out of the world’s top 50 like Els, while another in the field is Malton’s Simon Dyson, ninth on this season’s Tour money list and 10th in the Ryder Cup points race.

Hull’s Richard Finch and Harrogate’s John Parry are also involved.