South African Open
Branden Grace victorious with sunday birdie blitz
Branden Grace victorious with sunday birdie blitz
Aone-shot lead going into the final day of the South African Open would have been sufficient nine times out of ten to successfully defend his title. But Louis Oosthuizen could do nothing about Branden Grace, who sank eight birdies and an eagle in a superb 62 to finish three shots ahead and claim the trophy.
Four consecutive second-nine birdies powered Branden Grace to a three-shot victory and ended a 25-month trophy drought. His birdie rush began at 11 and continued through 14 to turn the tide, giving Grace a final-round 62 and his first silverware since winning the 2017 Nedbank Golf Challenge. Grace completed the European Tour tournament in 263 shots, 21 under par, with 2010
British Open champion Oosthuizen (68) second three strokes adrift.
Apart from winning the South African Open, Grace took one of three 2020 British Open places up for grabs. Oosthuizen qualifies automatically as the 2010 champion.
The first person to hug Grace after he birdied the final hole was his one-yearson, followed by his wife, who celebrated her birthday that winning Sunday.
"It was a remarkable performance," said Pretoria-born Grace after claiming his ninth European Tour success. "I played flawless golf today and my putter was red hot.”
Grace single-putted nine greens in a row and needed just 22 putts on his nine under-par final round, which is very impressive. But to overturn a four-shot deficit against a player of Oosthuizen’s quality and experience and win such an event, everything had to to be almost perfect.
Grace is such a high calibre player, finishing third at the PGA Championship in 2015 and tying for fourth at the US Open in the same year, so in familiar conditions his performance was not altogether surprising.
Grace’s win means 14 of the last 22 winners of the South African Open have been from the host country, with the distinctive coarse grass favouring those who grew up with it.
"This is a trophy I really wanted to get my hands on because it means so much for any South African to win on home soil.
"What an emotional day for the Grace family! I win the South African Open for the first time and my wife celebrates her birthday."
Amid the disappointment of allowing a three-stroke overnight lead slip, Oosthuizen had the joy of scoring a hole in one at the eighth. His tee shot appeared to be heading right of the green, then hopped left off the fringe and rolled into the cup.
“FOUR CONSECUTIVE SECOND-NINE BIRDIES POWERED BRANDEN GRACE TO A THREE-SHOT VICTORY AND ENDED A 25-MONTH TROPHY DROUGHT.”