ST ANDREWS, Scotland: "I'll never get tired of coming to St Andrews, the Home of Golf with all it's history," Branden Grace said Wednesday ahead of first round in the $5-million Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. "And to know I'm actually part of that history makes it extra special."
The 28-year-old was, of course, referring to his victory in the 2012 edition of this tournament when he posted a European Tour
record-equalling low 18 at the time, a 12-under-par 60 at KIngsbarns in the first round.
"I love coming back to St Andrews and this is the time of the year when I normally bring my best," said the world No 14 who is having another fabulous year, with his maiden victory on the PGA Tour in America, in the RBC Heritage, while he's also played awfully well in Europe, and is sixth in the Race to Dubai.
"It's been a busy season, but also a great season. But because it was so busy I needed a break so I I've just had three weeks off, my batteries are charged and I'm ready now for a big end-of-season push."
Grace has also performed well in the Majors in the last few years. "Okay, I haven't won one yet but I've come pretty close and I'm excited for what the future has in store. I really feel I can compete at any level, it's like I'm comfortable out there."
For the first time, Grace will have his father Peter as his partner in the separate pro-am here.
"I played with my Dad in a practice round on the Old Course today. It was a first time for him here and you don't get a lot of terrific moments with family like this, especially with golf being such an individual sport."
The George-based golfer revealed that he was glued to the television last week, watching every moment of the Ryder Cup. "The better team (the United States) did win at the end of the day, even though as an international player I was rooting for Europe. What Sergio and Mickelson did in their halved singles was phenomenal. They had, I think, 18 birdies between them. It's kind of fired me up for next year's Presidents Cup when the Internationals (Grace is in all likelihood a shoo-in for the team) take on the Americans. We haven't beaten them yet but we're getting closer and last year it went down to the final game.
"The pressure for the players is enormous in both the Ryder Cup and the Presidents Cup. My first one was at Muirfied (in the US) and it was awesome. Last year in Korea it was a bit more chilled. But next year we're back in America at Liberty National. It's going to be brutal, because those New Yorkers don't hold anything back. It's going to be pretty close to what it was this year for the boys in the Ryder Cup. A Major is something big, but the pressure in a Ryder Cup or a Presidents Cup is so much bigger."
Grace and his father are drawn in Wednesday’s first round alongside tournament chairman Johann Rupert and Belgium's Thomas Pieters, who had such a fantastic Ryder Cup on behalf of the European team, and they are at Carnoustie.
"It's always a pleasure playing with Mr Rupert because words can't describe what he has done for golf, not just in South Africa but
worldwide. He doesn't like getting recognition for what he's done, but he's one in a million."
Louis Oosthuizen is also at Carnoustie, with his caddie Wynand Stander, a grip-it-and-rip-it low handicap golfer, his pro-am partner.
They are alongside Richard Sterne who has India business tycoon Nikesh Arora as his partner.
Young South African professional Christiaan 'Rambo' Bezuidenhout got a huge buzz when he saw the draw. His partner is Mark Boucher and they are in a fourball on the Old Course that also contains Shane Warne.
"How cool is this, the famous Old Course and a coupler of famous cricketers," he chuckled.
Independent Media