The draw was kind to many of the South Africans with Branden Grace starting his pursuit of the BMW PGA Championship alongside Dylan Frittelli on Thursday.

Thailand’s in-form Kiradech Aphibarnrat makes up the group teeing off at 1:50pm on Thursday.

The Thai star has worked his way to fourth on the Race to Dubai rankings and will be a good pace-setter for his South African colleagues who are back on the European Tour this week. Frittelli will be looking for a good week after dropping to 17th on the money-list after skipping Europe in recent months as he looks to make the PGA TOUR his home.

Grace finished last week with a bang as he celebrated his 30th birthday with a Sunday 62, a round which left him in a share for third at the AT&T Byron Nelson. That swift return to form after his paternity leave as well as good memories of Wentworth have the top-ranked South African as third-favourite this week according to the bookmakers.

Grace started last year’s final round one off the pace but struggled into the clubhouse with a one over par final round as Alex Noren blasted his way to the title after a 62.

Noren launches his defence in the company of Rory McIlroy, 2014’s winner, and Lee Westwood, who has two-second place finishes here in 24 starts, in the first Rolex Series event of 2018. The Swede Noren will this week look to become the first player to defend the famous title since Luke Donald in 2011-12.

The trio start on Thursday at 1.30pm with Martin Kaymer, Paul Casey and Tyrell Hatton the next group out before Grace and Co. get started.

There are as many as 14 South Africans in the field this week with Haydn Porteous, Dean Burmester and George Coetzee grouped together in the 10:55am tee time.

Multiple Wentworth winner and co-course designer Ernie Els has the company of England’s Matt Fitzpatrick and Ireland’s Paul Dunne from 9:25am.

Saffa tee times (add one hour for SA time):