Grace oblivious to his place in history
BRANDEN Grace posted the lowest 18-hole score in 157 years and 422 major championships, and he didn’t even know it.
He knocked in his short par putt on the final hole at Royal Birkdale for a 62 when his caddie, Zack Rasego, walked up to him and said, “You’re in the history books.”
Grace didn’t know what he meant. The 29-year-old South African was so locked in on a flawless round yesterday at the British Open that he wasn’t even aware of the scoring record.
He was only thinking about trying to get through the third bogey.
“I had no idea that a 62 was obviously the lowest ever,” Grace said. “Now it makes it even more special than what it was.”
Jordan Spieth stole Branden Grace’s thunder to take command of the Open and close in on his own slice of history at Royal Birkdale.
Spieth stood firm extended his lead to three strokes with a nerveless, bogey-free five-under 65 to continue his march towards a rare career slam.
The 2015 Masters and US Open winner – and reigning round without a Australian Open champion – was three clear of Ryder Cup teammate Matt Kuchar, whose rollercoaster round of 66 ensured the duo met again the final group overnight.
A victory this morning – after the 23-year-old fell one shot shy of a playoff at St Andrews in 2015 – would make Spieth only the second player after Jack Nicklaus to have won three of the sport’s four majors before the age of 24.
Grace was among many who pounced on a serene day that was ideal for scoring at Royal Birkdale with a 29 on the front nine.
And after a lull to start the back nine, he resumed his march with a 36-foot birdie putt on the par-3 14th, a birdie putt from just inside 30 feet on No.16, and then he moved to eight under on his round by hitting three-iron on to the green at the par-5 17th for a two-putt birdie.
From about 60 feet behind the 18th green, he rolled a beautiful lag to two feet and tapped in for the record.
Johnny Miller shot his famous 63 in the final round at Oakmont in 1973 to win the US Open. Since then, 28 players posted a 63 in the majors 30 times, most recently by Justin Thomas in the US Open last month at Erin Hills. No one ever got lower – until Grace.
Grace, who made the cut by one shot, finished at fourunder 206. He was two shots behind Spieth, who was on the range still warming up, when Grace finished.
The day ended with him seven shots out of the lead.
Fifteen players shot 66 or better. Dustin Johnson missed an eight-foot birdie putt on the 16th and failed to birdie the par-five 17th from the fairway and still shot 64.