Global Golf Post - April 23, 2012

TIANJIN, CHINA | South African Branden Grace
became only the second player in European
Tour history to win three times in the season
after graduating through Qualifying School as he
cruised to victory Sunday at the Volvo China Open.

Three clear of last year’s winner, Nicolas
Colsaerts, overnight, Grace’s lead on the final day
was never fewer than two shots and a closing 69
saw him finish 21 under at Binhai Lake Golf Club.
“I stayed really calm today,” said Grace, who
vaulted to fourth in the Race To Dubai standings
behind Rory McIlroy, Louis Oosthuizen and Justin
Rose, respectively. “I kept hitting the ball well.

“I thought my first win was around the corner
(this season). To have three before
May is literally unbelievable, but
I’ve been playing well so I’ve been
feeling like I can win and I’ve
been giving myself opportuni-
ties. It’s just amazing and shows
you the standard of golf that I
am playing right now. To
have three wins on the
European Tour at this
stage of my career is
awesome.”
Awesome.
Amazing. Incred-
ible. Remark-
able. Unforeseen.
Choose your own
adjective.
But understand that South
Africans have now won six of
the last 15 European Tour
events. And note that Grace,
with one more solid week, Branden Grace

“If I think back now to last year and playing
on the Challenge Tour and just trying to get back
to the main Tour and really just trying to make a
living, it was tough at points. So, to be here with
three wins is amazing,” Grace added gracefully.
As well as matching Johan Edfors’ 2006
accomplishment of winning three times after
coming through Qualifying School in the winter,
the 23-year-old joins some illustrious company
in the European Tour record books.

Only two players have won three European
Tour titles in a single season at a younger age
– Seve Ballesteros did it three times between
1977 and 1980, and Sandy Lyle did it in 1979.

Grace also becomes only the third South
“I thought I could have got little
meaner on Branden today because I
had a few chances and I could have
closed the gap a little more but,
in the end, I left him a bit too
much breathing space,” said
Colsaerts, whose runner-up
total of 271 was three back
of Grace and one ahead of
England’s Richard Finch.

Tied for fourth at 16 under
were South African George
Coetzee and France’s Victor
Dubuisson.

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Texas
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Mark - 14 Handicap
New Hampshire
Ultra Thin Face
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Phil - 12 Handicap
North Carolina

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