Branden Grace is readying himself for a run at the Green Jacket as his game stacks up right where he wants it ahead of Thursday, writes WADE PRETORIUS.
For all of Grace’s accomplishments – Nedbank Golf Challenge winner, eight-time European Tour winner, winner on the PGA Tour, Presidents Cup perfect week and the lowest round (62) in Major history – there is still one massive item that needs to be crossed off … A Major victory.
Fans of the South African may have forgotten that he’s still only 29, but that’s an easy thing to do considering the way he handles himself and works his way around the golf course – be it at one of golf’s four elite events or a practice round with friends.
Professional golf, however, waits for no man and some years have passed since his 2015 season which saw him finish inside the top five in two of the four Majors, including his third at Chambers Bay at the PGA Championship. As a mark of his quality, he repeated the feat in 2016 as he jostled with the best in the world for the top spots on a number of occasions.
Last year was less flattering for the likeable South African, with just his Open finish (T6 on the back of his Saturday 62) bolstering his growing CV.
That CV, however, now demands a Major triumph.
Thursday’s first Major is arguably the most anticipated in a decade with Grace’s search for a maiden win, and equal status with friends Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel as South Africans with a Major to their name, just one of the many storylines. Tiger Woods’ return, Justin Thomas looking for a second title and the world No 1 ranking and Rory McIlroy aiming, yet again, to complete the grandslam are but three.
This leaves Grace with an unenviable task: take down Augusta National and, in the process, fend off the strongest field in Major history in over a decade.
Daunting? Not for Grace.
‘I’ve been playing well since that NGC win and took the week off to prepare for Augusta,’ Grace told Compleat Golfer. The Buffels Baai local didn’t make it through to the playoff rounds at the WGC-Dell Match Play but was -14 through three rounds, a solid enough week for anyone on tour.
‘I spent time working on things specific to The Masters, so it was very important in terms of putting me in a place where I can contend for the Green Jacket.’
Grace admits that he has a healthy fear of Augusta and The Masters, the tournament steeped in history and that so easily mixes beauty with brutal scores.
‘The Masters is just so special. The hype around it is 100% accurate. The place just never seems to lose its charm or that feeling that makes your hair stand on end when you arrive for the week. As much as things continue to change around it, Augusta never does. I don’t think it ever will for me.
‘It’s intimidating for sure, but then all four of the Majors are. This one just elevates that Major championship feeling to a new level. It’s played on the same course, in similar conditions every year but it never gets easier. Sure, you learn more and more as you go along but you can’t relax for a second out there. I think coming back here, year after year, and seeing people get donned with that Green Jacket makes you want to win it even more.’
Many words will be written about what kind of golfer can win The Masters or which area of the game needs to be razor sharp if you want to contend, but Grace doesn’t buy into much of that.
‘Yes, the fairways are wide and not too daunting, but have a bad week with the driver and there’s no chance you will win it. All aspects of your game need to be under control with maybe a slight emphasis on your approach shots. You need to land the ball in the right areas and leave yourself putts from specific angles if you want to have a chance at birdie. Everyone knows the greens can be tricky, so it’s about leaving yourself the kind of putt that has a chance of dropping.’
Masters week promises to be special but for Grace, he knows he’s bound to leave a winner with the arrival of his son due any minute.
‘My wife will be off caddying duty at the Par-3 Contest,’ he says. ‘A friend will take over because our little boy is on the way any day now.’
A special week looms for Grace …
Photo: Andrew Redington/Getty Images
