Often adversaries, now on the same side of the tussle – and it’s working as Branden Grace and Justin Harding sit one back at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, writes WADE PRETORIUS.
The pair know each other’s game well. From a different perspective, though, as they were always competing against each other while growing up.
‘This might be the first time we’ve actually played together as a team or as a partnership,’ Harding said. ‘We tend to play against each other more.’
They joined this week after Grace was ‘fired’ by Louis Oosthuizen. That high-profile pair competed here in 2017 before Grace sat out last year for the birth of his son Roger. His stand-in in 2018 – Charl Schwartzel – did a good enough job when the pair finished third to get a call-back.
This left Grace to find a new teammate.
Harding must’ve been an easy choice after his Masters finish capped off his remarkable run from outside the world’s top 700 to one of the most spoken-about players of 2019.
Grace knows a thing or two about getting hot – in 2012 he became the first player to win four European Tour titles in a year.
With this week’s play in full view of Internationals captain Ernie Els and assistant Trevor Immelman, Harding’s appearance was an effective audition for the Presidents Cup later this year.
‘Look, both of our games are similar. We’re a good match,’ Harding said. ‘We like to keep each other quite jovial out there on the golf course, lots of jokes and some banter – which probably shouldn’t be shared – but it’s good fun.’
He clearly fits in with Grace.
‘He’s a better putter than I am,’ he said. ‘I get streaky, but he is definitely better. We have fun out there. We give each other hell, as well, and we take it the right way.’
The in-play chatter must’ve been worth listening to during their third round.
Harding had to wait to the eighth hole for his only birdie of the front nine, while Grace had four by the turn.
Maybe the ‘elder’ statesmen gave his rookie some hell.
Whatever he did, it worked, as Harding birdied five of the next six holes to bolt the Saffas up the leaderboard and into contention.
Grace popped in a birdie at 16 and rescued bogey on the next after his partner found the water. Another chirp maybe?
Well, whatever was or wasn’t said worked again as Harding birdied the last to put his team within one of the lead.
A fun Sunday awaits. If only we could eavesdrop on their commentary.
