Golf

Another South African on the rise

GolfWeek Alistair Tait
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Updated Jan 23, 2012 6:23 PM ET
     
 

Seems Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen aren’t the only South Africans capable of giant-killing these days. Branden Grace looks ready to join those two major winners.


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Grace’s past two weeks have been the stuff of dreams. On Jan. 15, he won the Joburg Open for his first European Tour victory. This past week, he celebrated his second after defeating boyhood heroes Ernie Els and Retief Goosen in a playoff for the Volvo Champions at Fancourt. There aren’t many bigger giants than those two South African legends.

There was double irony in the 23-year-old’s victory. Grace developed his game thanks to the Ernie Els Foundation, which helps youngsters cultivate their talent.

Talk about biting the hand that fed you.

Moreover, Grace had been asked earlier this year to act as a marker for the 35-man field, given that the Fancourt Foundation also helped him develop his game. He only got in the tournament courtesy of winning the Joburg event.

The native of George, South Africa, turned professional in 2007 after winning the 2006 South African Amateur Stroke Play Championship. He has made four trips to the European Tour Qualifying School and took the 11th card at last year’s Q-School to get on this year’s European Tour. Now, he doesn’t have to worry about heading back to the School for another three years.

Grace was ranked 258th before the Joburg. He is now 92nd.

“I’ve got my wins now, but I’m definitely not going to stop here,” he said. “I want to keep winning as many as I can. One of my goals is getting into the top 50 in the world.”

Grace isn’t the only South African looking to break into the world top 50. Els desperately needs to become one of the world’s top 50 players again if he hopes to play in all the majors and World Golf Championships in 2012. Els arrived at Fancourt ranked 71st in the world and is now 57th.

Tagged: Ernie Els, Branden Grace

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