Golf: Oosthuizen is no flash in the pan but he does aim to shine

South African Louis Oosthuizen is out to prove at this week's US PGA Championship that his maiden major win at The Open last month was no fluke and that he can compete with the game's top players.

His victory at St Andrews was remarkable not only for the dominant manner in which he won, but also because a virtual unknown stepped up to beat the world's best players so easily.

While the golfing world still decides whether Oosthuizen will be a familiar name atop leaderboards in the future, the 27-year-old has already showed he can deal with the fame.

Despite the excitement over his win and the reception he has received, Oosthuizen has shown he has a level head, went on to finish in the top 10 at tournaments in Scandinavia and the United States and squeezed in a trip to his homeland.

"I think it's nice playing with knowing in your head you won a major a month ago," Oosthuizen said. "I think it's a nice confidence boost going out there and it's just a matter of putting everything off the golf course out of your head when you're on the golf course."

Oosthuizen is scheduled to partner US Masters champion Phil Mickelson and US Open winner Graeme McDowell when the tournament begins tomorrow, continuing a tradition where the winners of the year's first three majors tee off together. He has come a long way since he battled nerves to win his first European tour event in Spain earlier this year and no longer holds any fears about his place at the top level.

"For some reason I was just very calm at St Andrews. I was hitting it really well, swinging it solid all week. I never really thought that I was going to throw it away at the stretch coming in."

This week will mark Oosthuizen's third appearance at the US PGA and first at Whistling Straits, but his experience playing links courses should help him, even though the course's layout is not strictly a links course since it borders a lake rather than the sea.

Meanwhile, Henrik Stenson, the one player who spared Tiger Woods from finishing last in Ohio on Sunday, is still struggling with his health going into the tournament.

The Swede's hopes of retaining his Ryder Cup place were given a huge boost when he shared third place in The Open , but since then he has been badly affected by what was thought might be viral pneumonia.

Yesterday he had an X-ray and further tests to try to establish what exactly was wrong and what best to do about an illness that has already seen him lose over a stone in weight.

Stenson, coughing and spluttering as he played nine holes of practice with Ian Poulter and Justin Rose at Whistling Straits,said: "It started the Tuesday after The Open. They tell me I've got some virus, some chest infection and I'm on steroids and antibiotics. One of the possibilities was pneumonia, but at least it did not show up for that.

To fulfil his US Tour requirements Stenson is also planning to play next week and his name is in the field as well for the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles in a fortnight.

That, though, will depend on his cup position and on whether he has qualified for the FedEx Cup play-offs. Only the top 125 in the United States are eligible for that and he stands 133rd.

The 34-year-old is currently only 26th in the cup standings. Of the Scots in the field, Bathgate's Stephen Gallacher is part of the second group to tee off from hole 1 at Whistling Straits, with compatriot Martin Laird two groups behind. Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie, meanwhile, is among the later starters.