Due to the global Covid-19 pandemic, it will be the first major of the year, and for the first time, one of the big four will be played without spectators in attendance.

The defending South African Open champion, Branden Grace, had to withdraw from the major in California after he returned a positive Covid-19 result.

However, Dylan Frittelli, who has been in good form on the PGA Tour, will be in action after he recovered from the virus some weeks ago.

South Africa's hopes will be pinned on the 2010 Open Championship winner, Louis Oosthuizen.

He is the top-ranked South African in the field, and in 2017 he finished the major played at Quail Hollow in a tie for second along with the USA's Patrick Reed and Italy's Francesco Molinari.

The 2011 Masters champion, Charl Schwartzel, is also always in for a shout, however, of the four majors, the PGA Championship is the one where he has achieved the least success with a tie for 12th in 2011.

The up-and-coming Erik van Rooyen may just spring a surprise among the South Africa golfers, and he will want to draw on his tie for 8th in 2019 at Bethpage Black in New York.

Shaun Norris will want to improve on his performance last year when he made the cut.

The world's 47th ranked player, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, who earned his Sunshine Tour card in Bloemfontein, with be making his debut at the PGA Championship this week. The 26-year-old Delmas-born player has played in just one other major before, and that was the 2019 Open Championship at Royal Portrush in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. There Bezuidenhout made the cut in very trying conditions.

@MorganPiek OFM Sport