European Tour: Joburg Open top 10 power rankings

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - FEBRUARY 23: George Coetzee of South Africa hits his tee shot on the 9th during day one of the Joburg Open at the Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club on February 23, 2017 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - FEBRUARY 23: George Coetzee of South Africa hits his tee shot on the 9th during day one of the Joburg Open at the Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club on February 23, 2017 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images) /
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Joburg Open
SUN CITY, SOUTH AFRICA – NOVEMBER 08: Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa in action during the pro-am for the Nedbank Golf Challenge at Gary Player CC on November 08, 2017 in Sun City, South Africa. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images) /

It’s been a quiet year for Louis Oosthuizen, even for his standards. This week marks just his 20th start in the calendar year and just his fourth since the beginning of September.

The Mossel Bay native is playing in the Joburg Open for the first time since 2010 where he tied for 12th.

King Louie comes in as the highest-ranked player in the field, the highest-ranked South African and the only with a major championship under his belt. Though he’s in danger of just his second calendar year without a win since 2009, he has missed only one cut all year and has runner-up finishes at the PLAYERS and the PGA Championship.

Entering this week, he tied for eighth at the Nedbank Golf Challenge and tied for seventh last week in Mauritius.

Last season on the PGA Tour, Oosthuizen had positive marks in all the major strokes gained categories. He was 14th in total strokes gained and was excellent at 29th in around-the-green and 22nd in putting. He finished second in putts per GIR last week.

If he can hit enough fairways (83rd, 61.29 percent), there’s not much to stop Oosthuizen from a high finish this week.

Next: Dylan Frittelli wins playoff at Mauritius Open