Newly crowned Joburg Open winner George Coetzee has reluctantly withdrawn from this week’s Africa Open.

And Coetzee has nine million good reasons for this decision after a maiden Tour win saw him jump from 74th to a career high of 59th on the World Rankings and the assurance of contesting next week’s $US 9m WGC – Accenture Match-Play Championship in Arizona.

Newly crowned Joburg Open winner George Coetzee reluctantly withdraws from Africa Open to focus on WGC – Accenture Match-Play Championship after moving to 59th in world. (Photo – David Lloyd/www.golffile.ie)

As well, the affable 27-year old South African will also miss the Sunshine Tour’s Dimension Data Pro-Am at Fancourt given it will also clash with the first WGC of the new season.

“I was very much looking forward to competing on home soil once again, so it is disappointing to miss out,” said Coetzee, who will make the near 10,000-mile journey from Johannesburg to Arizona on Saturday.

“However, it is important I have enough time to prepare properly for the Match Play and give myself the best possible chance of success.

“The support I received from the home crowd as I won on the European Tour for the first time was fantastic and I’m looking forward to playing in South Africa again in the near future.”

Andrew ‘Chubby’ Chandler, ISM’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “I know how much George was looking forward to playing the two events, so it is unfortunate he is unable to do so. There has been talk of next year’s Match Play being switched to a different date, which would be good news for both tournaments going forward. I know some of our lads will be happy about that as well.”