Schwartzel to headline Perth

Last updated: 15th October 2012

The 2011 Masters champion Charl Schwartzel will be the biggest name when Australia's most lucrative tournament, the ISPS Handa Perth International, takes place this year.

The South African will be joined at the Lake Karrinyup Country Club by Americans Bo Van Pelt and Jason Duffner, who have won four PGA titles between them.

Schwartzel is in good form after victories over Rory McIlroy, Matt Kuchar and Tiger Woods in the group stages of last week's Turkish Airlines World Golf Final and will be looking to add to the eight titles he has already won on the European Tour.

"I'm really looking forward to getting down to Perth, because my game feels like it's very close to getting back to a high level. I've had a bit of a strange year, because I've been playing pretty well but the results just haven't really come. But I played very well in Turkey last week, and to get to the semi-finals against eight of the best players in the world was very satisfying," the 28-year-old commented.

"I managed to beat Rory and Tiger, and any time you manage to take down the best two players in the world, then you are going to take a lot of confidence from that. So hopefully I can carry that form into this week and get an even better result.

"Australia is a great country, and a great place to play golf. There's a great sporting heritage there, and the Australian people are mad about their sport - they are almost as good as South Africa!"

Dufner, the world number 10, will play in his first European Tour event since finishing in a tie for third place behind Woods at the 2009 JB Were Masters in Melbourne.

"I have a real affinity for Australia, and have heard a lot of great things about Perth and Western Australia," Dufner commented.

"I'm really looking forward to experiencing another part of Australia, and hopefully I can continue my good record 'Down Under'. I'm excited to have the opportunity to play in Western Australia for the first time, and I hope the local community will really support this great new event."

Ryder Cup stars Paul Casey and Edoardo Molinari, as well as Perth native Brett Rumford, are other notable names that will compete in the tournament that forms part of the European Tour as well as the PGA Tour of Australasia.