Branden Grace ended a decade-long drought of South African winners of the Nedbank Golf Challenge at Sun City on Sunday. Gary Player jumped out of his chair and hugged him. A shower of champagne was followed by a shower of rain. All that was missing was the rainbow. But Grace hit the pot of gold.
Grace produced what Player called a "stroke of genius" when he rolled in an almost 50-foot birdie putt on the par-three 16th to break free of a tie with Scotland's Scott Jamieson and take a one-stroke lead into the closing holes.
He closed with a bogey-free 66 to win on 11 under par, with Jamieson raking second on 10 under with a 70.
That putt was the moment that defined his tournament, and that it occurred on a 16th hole that has enabled some of the most dramatic victories in the history of the Nedbank Golf Challenge, hosted by Gary Player, made it that much sweeter.
Minutes before Grace made his crucial birdie putt, Jamieson nearly chipped in for birdie from the right greenside rough, with his ball lipping the hole.
"This is awesome. This is the one event that as a South African you want to win. It's Africa's major for a reason and what a special place it is. There's a lot of history and a lot of great winners on the trophy and I'm very glad to be able to put my name on the trophy as well," said Grace.
Jamieson's tournament hopes were dealt a blow with his double bogey six on the eighth hole. Frenchman Victor Dubuisson was third.
