Kruger punching the air after sinkingb the winning putt Sunday

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Kruger, Sterne: little guys, big drive

Two of the smallest men on the driving range ahead of this week’s Telkom PGA Championship could well make the biggest impact at South Africa’s second oldest professional tournament.

Jbé Kruger and Richard Sterne were the men standing alongside each other, hitting balls as they readied themselves for Thursday’s first round of this venerable championship.

Yes Kruger is the same Jbe Kruger who won his first European Tour title at the Avantha Masters in New Delhi, India, on Sunday, but such is his respect for an event he considers to be one of the ‘Majors’ of South African golf that he decided not to take a well-earned rest even though the Avantha Masters was his fourth tournament in a row.

“I think if it was any other tournament this week I would’ve given it a miss. But the reason I’m here is because the Telkom PGA Championship is such a big event in South African golf,” he said,

And this despite knowing full well that a win last week will guarantees him nothing at Country Club Johannesburg this week.

“I had my feet back on the ground as early as Monday. The win was cool and I waited a long time for it, but this is a new week. Of course I’d love to win this title, but last week’s victory is not likely to carry me through this week.”

This tournament also holds significance for Sterne. It was here in February 2011 that he retired on the second hole of his second round because of a back injury that kept him out of the game for all of last year.

His first tournament back was in the Africa Open in January, and he returns to a tournament where he finished second in 2007 event behind Louis Oosthuizen.

“My back feels good. It’s not 100 per cent yet, but it’s not affecting my golf swing, which is good. I’m hitting the ball well. I just need to sharpen up my short game and start scoring.

“But I like this course so it should be a good week,” declared Sterne, who hopes a bit of the Kruger magic will rub off on him as the five-time winner on the European Tour attempts to work his way back into contention.

The two have been playing practice rounds together for the past two or three weeks, including the week of the Avantha Masters, where Sterne finished 23rd.

“It helped me, so I hope it helps him as well,” said Kruger.