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Grace Wins South African Open After Stunning Final Round

By Matt Coles

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - JANUARY 12: Branden Grace of South Africa celebrates with the trophy after winning the tournament during Day Four of the South African Open at Randpark Golf Club on January 12, 2020 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - JANUARY 12: Branden Grace of South Africa celebrates with the trophy after winning the tournament during Day Four of the South African Open at Randpark Golf Club on January 12, 2020 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images) /
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South Africa’s Branden Grace is the new South African Open hosted by the City of Johannesburg champion after a sublime final round saw him win by three shots.

He came into Sunday three shots back, and after an early bogey at the 2nd, it looked like his chances of silverware at the South African Open had gone away.

However, Grace fought back to card eight birdies and an eagle 3 on the par-5 4th hole to finish the event at -21 thanks to a final round of 62, three shots ahead of the rest of the field.

This victory is his ninth on the European Tour, and his first in over two years, after winning the Nedbank Golf Challenge, also on home soil, in November 2017.

He took victory by three from compatriot, and the defending champion, Louis Oosthuizen, who had come into the final round with the lead of the tournament.

Unfortunately for the 2010 British Open champion, it was not to be, as his final round of 68 saw him drop into 2nd place, despite this at the par-3 8th.

Marcus Armitage, the English rookie, finished in 3rd spot, recovering from his 72 on Friday to post 62, 69 on his way to a best finish on the European Tour so far.

Jack Senior made it two Englishmen inside the top five, as he joined Jaco Ahlers at -15 in a tie for 4th spot, with 2015 South African Open champion Andy Sullivan ending the week two shots further back at -13.

Sullivan was joined by Hennie du Plessis, George Coetzee, JC Ritchie and the young prodigy Jayden Trey Schaper in a tie for 6th spot, who finished his tournament off with this lovely chip in at the 18th.

Johannes Veerman, the man who led the field after the opening round, finished the tournament in T13, with Tapio Pulkkanen, the man who led at the halfway stage, down in T15.

Erik van Rooyen and Thomas Detry both finished inside the top 30, while the likes of Mark Warren and Thirston Lawrence fell out of the top ten thanks to shooting a four-over-par round of 75 at Randpark on the final day of the tournament.

Back at the top though, and it is Branden Grace who becomes the new South African Open hosted by the City of Johannesburg champion, and with it, he takes the top spot on the Race to Dubai leaderboard as well.

The European Tour continues on Thursday with the first Rolex Series event of the season, as the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship takes centre stage.

Leaderboard:

  • 1 (-21): Branden Grace (RSA)
  • 2 (-18): Louis Oosthuizen (RSA)
  • 3 (-16): Marcus Armitage (ENG)
  • T4 (-15): Jack Senior (ENG), Jaco Ahlers (RSA)

Selected Others:

  • T6 (-13): Andy Sullivan (ENG), Jayden Trey Schaper (A, RSA)
  • T13 (-11): Johannes Veerman (USA)
  • T15 (-10): Gavin Green (MAS), Tapio Pulkkanen (FIN), Min Woo Lee (AUS)
  • T22 (-9): Erik van Rooyen (RSA), Trevor Fisher Jr. (RSA)
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