Branden Grace hopes to start 2015 the way he signed off in 2014 at this week’s South African Open Championship hosted by the City of Ekurhuleni.
Grace claimed his fifth European Tour title at the Alfred Dunhill Championship in December, romping to a seven shot success at Leopard Creek.
The 26 year old had claimed his four previous titles during a memorable 2012 campaign, and hopes victory in his National Open can spur him on to similar success on the 2015 Race to Dubai.
“This is one tournament that every South African wants to win,” said Grace.
“With all the history that’s behind it, all the great names on the trophy, it would be something special to have your name below those ones.
“The first couple of weeks before the Dunhill, before the final stretch started, I played some solid and steady golf.
“The one round was missing and I would have three good rounds. The year before last I had a good chance at the Dunhill, but there was a big rain delay and after that I hit my first shot in the bush and couldn’t come back from that.
“At Leopard Creek a few weeks ago I knew my form was in good condition and one thing led to another.
“If you get off to a start like that then you have to take it with both hands and go forward - that’s exactly what I did.
“To win in South Africa is special. To win in Europe is special, but to do it here in front of a home crowd, in front of your friends, make it that much more important. I’ve been fortunate enough to do it twice, and to win this one would be great.”
Grace admits the Christmas break was not ideally timed, with an enforced three-week lay-off coming when he was in top form.
But the South African still has plenty to focus on, with his latest win taking him back up to 82nd in the Official World Golf Ranking.
The top 50 players the week before the Masters Tournament in April will earn an invite to Augusta National, and that is one of Grace’s primary targets over the coming months.
“I tried to take a couple of weeks off,” he added. “The last week before coming here I started to play a lot.
“Ernie [Els] and myself played one or two rounds together and we’ll play nine holes a bit later today.
“I would have loved to carry on playing after Leopard Creek. You almost feel more tired after the rest period than before it.
“After winning you’re so pumped and you just want to keep playing, but the rest was needed. We’ve got a very hectic schedule coming up with the three in the Middle East after this - it’s nice to recharge the batteries.
“For a long while I was outside the top 100. It’s not that I played bad golf last year; even if you had good weeks you could keep falling.
“After the Dunhill Links Championship we didn’t finish outside the top 25 and yet we dropped 20 spots, and I was wondering how that was possible.
“Then there is a week like Leopard Creek where it just takes care of itself. I made a great climb from that week and Augusta is definitely in the back of my mind now.
“[The Masters] is one tournament you really want to play. For the guys that have been there it’s really the cherry on top of the cake.
“When you get onto the first tee it feels like a fairytale. You think ‘is this grass real?’ It’s really one tournament that I want to be involved with and playing.”
