Nothing has changed with Grace since the week he came bursting to the fore after collecting his player’s card at the end of 2011. This former Challenge Tour golfer had been down as a reserve to play in the pro-am at the Volvo Champions at George, his home course. However, after winning the previous week's Johannesburg Open, he was included in the main draw - and duly went on to win for a second week in a row.
Though he stood out at George as he defeated his two idols, Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, he melted back among his golf club chums almost the moment he job was done. In fact, he sat chatting on the terrace for the next couple of hours, just as he might have done had he spent the afternoon playing a friendly fourball.
His current manager, Duncan Reid at IMG, was similarly impressed. “I think everyone was noticing his quiet confidence and down-to-earth approach,” said Reid, who went on to marvel at the lovely manner Grace shows today with fans and sponsors alike. “You would never know from Branden’s demeanour whether he's just handed in a 66 or a 76."
"Staying normal’ is just the start of the equation for the South African brigade. They have so much more going for them.
Dame Laura Davies, when asked not so long ago for her memories of the day that Els broke through to win the US Open at Oakmont, said she had not been remotely surprised: “Apart from the fact that he was young, he was South African - and South Africans have a wonderful calm about them.”
She rightly went on to describe Goosen, who followed Els in bagging a couple of US Opens, as being an even cooler example of what she was describing. Indeed, so cool was Goosen that, when he did what no-one else could do in finding the right touch for the slippery putting surfaces at Shinnecock Hills, a member of the media was moved to ask if he had a pulse.
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