US Tour: Ernie Els, the world number two, appears to have emerged the winner from his dispute with the US Tour.

Els was unhappy about a letter putting pressure on him to play more in America, but said in Atlanta, ahead of the season-ending Tour Championship at Atlanta's East Lake Golf Club: "They know where I'm coming from. They're not going to interfere with my schedule.

"I haven't got a problem with the Tour anymore and they don't have a problem with me anymore, so we're fine.

"I did my schedule last week and it looks like I'm going to play 19 (events) next year in the US. That's just a normal schedule."

The man ahead of Els in the world rankings, Vijay Singh, will attempt to win his 10th PGA Tour title of the year at the Georgia event.

The elite limited-field event has an entry of 30 players and world number one Singh (41) has a good record at the venue, winning in 2002 and losing in a play-off to Hal Sutton in 1998.

Should Singh win, he would join Byron Nelson, Ben Hogan and Sam Snead as the only players to have won 10 titles or more in a single PGA Tour season.

Nelson emerged with a record 18 titles in 1945, Hogan has 13 successes in 1946 and 10 two years later, while Snead enjoyed 11 victories in 1950.

On Sunday, Singh became the first player in tour history to earn more than $10 million in a season with a five-shot victory at the Chrysler Championship.

The US PGA champion picked up a cheque for $900,000, and increased his overall earnings to $10,725,166.

Two Irish players have qualified to play: Padraig Harrington makes his first appearance while Darren Clarke plays for the second time.

Although neither won a US title this season, they collected enough prizemoney to make the field, which includes seven multiple winners. Harrington and Clarke intend to spend more time in the US next season.