• The South African Open Championship has a rich history and is the second oldest National Open Championship in the world, dating back to 1893, where it was first played in Port Elizabeth. Only The Open Championship, which started in 1860 is older.
• Defending champion, James Kingston was one of 13 first-time winners on the 2008 European Tour International Schedule. Aged 42 and 16 days, the South African was the oldest of the 13. He is also the second oldest debut winner in European Tour history, following Cesar Monasterio, was 42 and 202 days in claiming the 2006 Aa Saint Omer Open.
• Four time South African Open champion, Ernie Els will be looking to continue his outstanding record in the event. From his 14 appearances as a professional, he has recorded eight top three finishes and been out of the top ten only three times.
• When Mattias Grönberg won in 2000 he became only the second European to win the South African Open Championship, following Tommy Horton in 1970.
• The 1999 champion, David Frost created European Tour history when he triumphed at Stellenbosch by creating the biggest gap between victories – 14 years and 95 days, from when he won the 1984 Compagnie de Chauffe Cannes Open.
• South African golfers will aim to extend their run of consecutive home wins to eight, having claimed every South African Open Championship since 2002.
