UpClose GRACE
“Things can change very quickly in this game, as 2011 proved, but I know this season will be another big experience for me. You don’t really know what to expect but I’m looking forward to what’s to come.”
Schalk Brits, Branden Grace, Louis Oosthuizen and Odendaal Koen pose for a picture during the practice round of The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at The Old Course, St.Andrews.
To follow winning the Volvo Golf Champions with the Volvo China Open just a few months later was incredible. Both courses really suited my game. Of course I had the benefit of local knowledge at Fancourt as you really need to know your way around that golf course while Binhai Lake in China gave me that same sort of ‘linksy’ feeling. To win in China and make it three European Tour wins before May was unbelievable. When I won again at St Andrews for my fourth Tour victory in 2012 I had become the first South African to win the title and the youngest winner – that’s a massive honour for such a tournament. (As a four-time winner in a single season Grace also joined Tour legends such as Els, Seve, Colin Montgomerie and Lee Westwood in achieving the feat). South African golf is in great shape right now. We’ve got five players in the top 50 14
www.wwgolf.biz
and George Coetzee is bound to win on Tour sooner or later. George and I have been mates since our junior days and it’s nice to be going through the ranks together. Maybe we’ll become the new Charl and Louis and win some Majors. With Jbe Kruger and Darren Fichardt both winning on The European Tour last year and players such as Hennie Otto, a two-time winner on The European Tour, this is fast becoming a golden era for the Springboks. I’m looking forward to this season. If I can pick up where I left off last year I might make it into the world top 10 – who knows. I’ve certainly put my foot on the World Ranking and I’ve made something of an impression for myself. Things can change very quickly in this game, as 2011 proved, but I know this season will be another big experience for me. You don’t really know what to expect but I’m looking forward to what’s to come.
IN THE BAG: Driver: Callaway RAZR Hawk Tour â Fairway Wood: +ITTI_Ia :)B: .Q\ â Hybrids: Callaway Diablo Edge Tour â Irons: Callaway X-Forged Irons (2009) 3-9 Wedges: +ITTI_Ia @ .WZOML ?MLOM[ (52º-12º, 60º-9º) Putter: Callaway Black Series Tour ,M[QOV[ ?QLM Ball: Callaway HEX Black Tour Prototype
It was a big step forward in getting my Tour card and winning four times on Tour, playing with Tiger Woods and handling the crowds was another big step and with just playing with the world’s best is a learning curve in itself. I’m looking forward to getting on the bigger stages and competing with the top players some more. Louis and Charl are the type of players who’ll help you where they can. So I’m looking forward to the future and getting into the Majors regularly, playing practice rounds with them and seeing how they do it. I went to the first WGC event of the year last year and we had the practice rounds and things, and we had a laugh. It’s nice to see the way they do it and how they handle it. All that experience means I know how to handle myself and I’ll just stick to my own game and take it from there. Q