Branden Grace facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Branden Grace |
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Grace at the 2016 Commercial Bank Qatar Masters
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| Personal information | |
| Full name | Branden John Grace |
| Nickname | Gracie |
| Born | 20 May 1988 Pretoria, South Africa |
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) |
| Weight | 78 kg (172 lb; 12.3 st) |
| Nationality |  South Africa |
| Residence | George, South Africa Tequesta, Florida |
| Spouse |
Nieke Coetzee
(m. 2016) |
| Children | 1 |
| Career | |
| Turned professional | 2007 |
| Current tour(s) | European Tour Asian Tour Sunshine Tour LIV Golf |
| Former tour(s) | PGA Tour Challenge Tour |
| Professional wins | 15 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| PGA Tour | 2 |
| European Tour | 9 |
| Sunshine Tour | 6 |
| Best results in Major Championships |
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| The Masters Tournament | T18: 2013 |
| U.S. Open | T4: 2015 |
| The Open Championship | T6: 2017 |
| PGA Championship | 3rd: 2015 |
| Achievements and awards | |
| Sunshine Tour Order of Merit winner |
2012 |
Branden John Grace (born May 20, 1988) is a professional golfer from South Africa. He currently plays for LIV Golf. Before that, he played on the European Tour, the PGA Tour, and the Sunshine Tour.
In 2012, Branden made history on the European Tour. He was the first player ever to win his first four titles in the same year! On July 22, 2017, he set another record. He became the first golfer to shoot a score lower than 63 in a major championship. He shot an amazing 62 (8 under par) at the Open Championship in England.
Contents
Becoming a Golfer: Amateur Career
Branden Grace was born in Pretoria. When he was younger, he was part of the Ernie Els and Fancourt Foundation. This foundation helps young golfers. In 2006, he won the South African Amateur Stroke Play Championship. This was a big win for him as an amateur. He decided to become a professional golfer in 2007.
Branden's Professional Journey
Starting Out: Early Years in Golf
Branden started his professional career on the Challenge Tour in 2007. This is Europe's second-level golf tour. He played in a few events and finished in the top ten twice. In 2008, he played on both the Challenge Tour and the Sunshine Tour in South Africa. He had three top-10 finishes, including a second-place tie at the Ypsilon Golf Challenge. These good results helped him earn a spot on the European Tour for 2009.
In 2009, Branden found it tough on the European Tour. However, he did well on the Sunshine Tour. He finished second at the Africa Open and had seven top-10 finishes. His first professional win came in 2010 at the Coca-Cola Charity Championship on the Sunshine Tour. By 2012, he was ready for another chance on the European Tour.
Making History: The 2012 Season
The year 2012 was a huge breakthrough for Branden Grace.
- In January, he won the Joburg Open. This tournament was part of both the European Tour and the Sunshine Tour. He won by just one shot!
- The very next week, he won again at the Volvo Golf Champions. He beat famous South African golfers Ernie Els and Retief Goosen in a playoff. This made him the first player since 1995 to win two tournaments in a row!
- His wins moved him into the top 100 golfers in the world.
- On April 22, Branden won his third European Tour event at the Volvo China Open. Only a few golf legends have won three European Tour titles at a younger age. He also became only the second player to win three times after getting his tour card from qualifying school.
- In September, he won his third Sunshine Tour title.
- On October 7, Branden won his fourth European Tour title of 2012 at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. He set a new scoring record for the tournament. He even shot an amazing 60 in the first round, which tied a European Tour record!
- He ended his incredible 2012 season by winning the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit. This means he was the top player on that tour for the year.
Continued Success: 2013-2016
After his amazing 2012 season, Branden continued to play well.
- In 2013, he finished second at the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open. He lost in a playoff to golf star Phil Mickelson.
- In December 2014, he won his fifth European Tour event, the Alfred Dunhill Championship. He won by a huge 7 shots!
- He followed this up with another win in January 2015 at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.
- The next month, he won again in South Africa at the Dimension Data Pro-Am.
Major Championship Highlights
Branden had some great moments in major championships:
- At the 2015 U.S. Open, he was tied for the lead going into the final day. He finished tied for 4th place.
- At the 2015 PGA Championship, he finished in 3rd place. This was his second top-five finish in a major.
Presidents Cup Star
In 2015, Branden played in the Presidents Cup. This is a team golf event. He had a perfect week, winning all five of his matches! He teamed up with fellow South African Louis Oosthuizen for four of those wins. His perfect 5-0-0 record was only the fifth time this had happened in Presidents Cup history.
Defending Titles and First PGA Tour Win
- On January 30, 2016, Branden successfully defended his Commercial Bank Qatar Masters title. This was his seventh European Tour win. He was the first player to win this tournament two years in a row.
- Because of his strong play in major tournaments, Branden was able to play on the PGA Tour in 2016. On April 17, 2016, he won his first PGA Tour event at the RBC Heritage.
Record-Breaking 62: 2017
On July 22, 2017, Branden Grace made golf history. He shot an incredible 62 in the third round of the 2017 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale Golf Club. This was the lowest score ever recorded in a men's major championship!
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Par | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| Grace's score | −1 | −1 | −1 | −2 | −3 | −3 | −3 | −4 | −5 | −5 | −5 | −5 | −5 | −6 | −6 | −7 | −8 | −8 |
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Birdie
In November 2017, Branden won the Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa. This was a big win, earning him over $1 million.
Winning the South African Open: 2020
In January 2020, Branden won the South African Open. He shot a final round of 62 to win! This victory was very special because it meant he had now won every major golf tournament in South Africa. He had previously won the Joburg Open, Alfred Dunhill Championship, Dimension Data Pro-Am, and Nedbank Golf Challenge. The national Open was the last one he needed to complete the set.
More PGA Tour Success: 2021
In February 2021, Branden won his second PGA Tour event at the Puerto Rico Open. He finished with an eagle and a birdie on his last two holes to win by one shot. Later that year, he tied for the lead at the Wyndham Championship but lost in a playoff.
LIV Golf League: 2022
In July 2022, Branden won his first event on the new LIV Golf tour, the LIV Golf Invitational Portland. He won by two strokes.
Amateur Wins
- 2006 SANLAM SA Amateur Stroke Play Championship
Professional Wins (15)
Branden Grace has won 15 professional golf tournaments around the world.
- He has 2 wins on the PGA Tour.
- He has 9 wins on the European Tour.
- He has 6 wins on the Sunshine Tour.
- He has 1 win on the LIV Golf League.
Team Appearances
Branden Grace has represented his country and team in several important golf events:
- Presidents Cup (representing the International team): 2013, 2015, 2017
- World Cup (representing South Africa): 2013
Results in Major Championships Summary
Branden has played in many major golf championships. Here's a quick look at his best finishes:
| Tournament | Wins | 2nd | 3rd | Top-5 | Top-10 | Top-25 | Events | Cuts made |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 4 |
| PGA Championship | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 5 |
| U.S. Open | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 6 |
| The Open Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 8 |
| Totals | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 38 | 23 |
- He made the cut (meaning he played all rounds) in 23 out of 38 major tournaments.
- His best finish was 3rd place at the 2015 PGA Championship.
- He has had 6 top-10 finishes in major championships.
See also
- List of golfers with most European Tour wins
